Christmas Miracle
by Darth-Taisha
Summary: Itahina/AU/Supernatural, Christmas gift-fic for EmbraceDiversity (AKA Catriana). Hinata is a fallen angel that can only return to heaven after she completes one task... teach Itachi Uchiha about the true meaning of Christmas. Also contains minor Sakura bashing. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Christmas Miracle**

**ItaHina/AU/Modern/Supernatural: **This is a gift-fic for EmbraceDiversity (AKA Catriana) for the holidays and because she is so awesome. I have been writing about ghosts lately, so I thought I would try angels this time.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, it all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**~1~**

* * *

Hinata truly loved the holiday season and it was by far her favorite time of the year. She loved all of the lights, the decorations and the Christmas music playing in the stores. Most of all she loved the spirit of kindness that flowed over the earth and how much nicer everyone seemed to be around this time of year.

From the corner of her eye, she saw two women fighting over a pair of jeans in the aisle of the Macy's Department Store she was in. Disturbed by their ungenerous behavior Hinata decided to go somewhere else a little more cheerful.

_Okay, well some of the time people were nicer to each other_, she had to admit to herself, trying to be optimistic.

Under the cloak of invisibility and eager to put that ugly scene out of her mind she fluttered to another section of the store while humming "Away in a Manger," determinedly to herself.

Her heart began to sink when she hovered close to a young mother with her five year old son. The mother seemed stressed out and appeared to be taking out her frustrations on her young son.

"Jonas, I thought I told you to stop touching everything!"

The little boy began to cry at his mother's tone of voice and Hinata felt sorry for him.

She moved closer to him and was surprised when the boy's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide as he looked at her.

_Oops,_ she thought as she had accidentally lowered her cloak of invisibility and in that state innocent people, mostly children could see her.

Shooting a flustered grin at the boy she lifted her hand and waved her fingers goodbye before vanishing completely right before his eyes.

The black-haired boy gasped before he began to tug violently on his mother shirt sleeve, "Mommy! Mommy!"

"What?" His harassed looking mother responded with an inpatient look at him.

"I saw an angel, she was standing right over there," he told her in awed tones as he pointed excitedly to the spot Hinata had just vacated.

His mother rolled her eyes and turned away from him, "Oh god, Jonas! Stop talking nonsense, angels aren't real."

"But Mommy…" Jonas sputtered, "I saw her, she had white fluffy wings and…"

His mother whirled around so fast her short, fake pink hair practically stood up on its ends as she bent down and got in his face and pointed her finger in his chest. "They-are-mythical-creatures… and one more word from you about it and I am going to take you to a psychiatrist – do you hear me!"

Beginning to feel very uncharitable towards the young mother, Hinata was about to do the forbidden and show herself to prove she was real when a dark-haired man came up to them.

"Uncle Itachi, I saw an angel!" Jonas told his uncle with excited eyes that pleaded with him to believe him.

The man dressed in an exquisitely tailored suit and long black cashmere coat turned and Hinata got a better look at his face and felt her breath catch in her throat. She didn't normally notice anything about humans beyond the state of their hearts, whether they were good or bad people, but with him it was unavoidable.

He was utterly drop-dead gorgeous in a classical perfect sort of way. His hair pulled back into a pony-tail suited him perfectly as it served to emphasize the elegance of his angular face.

As she continued to stare at him a frown slipped over her face puzzled that his bearing was extremely calm, but not in a peaceful sort of way. Her observation about him made her curious so she examined him closer.

She shivered when she delved deeper into the core of him and felt his soul was cold as though he had put to death all trace of human emotions within himself. He definitely was not someone who had found inner peace.

Yet, Hinata was relieved when she noticed a tiny spark of light remained in him as he looked patiently at his young nephew and knelt down gently next to him.

"Mommy says they aren't real, do you believe in angels?" Jonas asked his uncle with serious eyes that reminded his uncle so much of his deceased younger brother it made his stomach clench in pain.

"No Jonas, I don't believe they exist," he told his nephew firmly before patting him awkwardly on his little shoulder and then stood up and looked at the boy's mother.

The two of them shared a look that clearly said they were both in the dark about where this odd behavior was coming from.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonas spotted a pearl colored feather on the floor and reached down and picked it up with a happy grin. As his hand clenched around the iridescent little feather, he had no doubt angels were real. Glancing up quickly at his mother and uncle he saw their attention was directed away from him and he stared at it in wonder as he held it in front of his eyes.

The luminous feather was proof that angels were real!

"Come Jonas, I will buy you an ice cream before I have my driver take you and your mother home," Itachi said as he turned to leave. This conversation was making him uncomfortable and he didn't want to spend one more minute in his brother's widow's company than was necessary.

He absolutely despised the bitch, but loved her child, so he put up with her for his sake and for Sasuke's sake. Years ago when Sasuke was still in college, Sakura had caught his brother in a weak moment and a one night stand ended up with her getting pregnant.

Not wanting to abandon his child, Sasuke had reluctantly married her but ended up dying a year after Jonas was born in a freak car crash. The phone call informing him of his brother's death still haunted him to this day.

No, he didn't believe in angels - if they were real, then why didn't they protect his brother from harm?

He opened the door to the busy mall and saw on the sidewalk was a young dark haired woman ringing a bell, collecting money for the Salvation Army.

Hinata followed the family outside and felt drawn to the young woman who smiled almost angelically toward everyone who walked past her, whether they dropped any money in the bucket or not.

"Merry Christmas," she said with a cheeful smile after someone dropped a five dollar bill in the red bucket.

_Now there is someone who understands the true meaning of Christmas and love_, Hinata thought as she looked at the young woman and could tell the she had led a hard life but had an inner peace to her that only few people ever obtain in their lives.

Itachi was unusually touched by the woman's smile and opened his wallet and dropped a hundred dollar bill into the bucket. The girl gave him a sweet but somewhat awed look after she got a good look at his face.

"Itachi," Sakura whined. "Aren't you being overly generous, I mean, there are better charities out there if you want to do some real good. The poor will always be with us so I never waste my money on lost causes like them, instead, I found a great charity that supports women who have had tragic results from plastic surgery."

Visibly restraining himself from rolling his eyes in front of his poisonous sister-in-law, he looked around for an ice cream stand to take his nephew to. His eyes opened wide in fear when he saw Jonas was just about to step off the curb into the oncoming traffic.

"Jonas, no!" He yelled while racing after him and he saw a flash of light and the Salvation Army bell-ringer dart into traffic behind his nephew and grab him from behind and swing him out of the way to safety just before a large truck was about to run into her. Feeling as if he was moving in slow motion Itachi tried to pull her out of the way but was too late.

The driver of a large truck tried to stop and his foot desperately pressed against the brake but he couldn't keep his truck from hitting the young woman. His stomach clenched in sickening dread as he watched her fly through the air and land on the pavement with a loud thud.

The sounds of screeching tires and screams from pedestrians and busy shoppers filled the air as Itachi could only look down at her pale face in horror. Not having much in the way of medical skills, he quickly pulled out his cell phone and began calling for the paramedics to come. Soon he saw with relief, people with medical backgrounds in the crowd begin to perform assessments on her.

Sakura quickly hugged her little boy (her meal ticket) before launching into a vicious tirade as she pointed toward the street. "You see that, she is hurt... and it is all your fault…you are just like your father was. You never care about anyone else, just yourself, you selfish brat."

Jonas's fists balled up in pain and he began to cry and rub his eyes. He didn't mean for anything bad to happen, he had dropped his angel feather and didn't want to lose it, so without even thinking he had chased after it as it floated on the wind.

"I'm sorry Mommy…is she going to be alright?" He asked in a teary voice as he watched people crowd around the young woman and begin trying to help her.

"How the hell am I supposed to know that, but don't worry, your uncle will take care of it," his mother said airily as she began to drag him toward the Limo that was waiting for them at the end of the curb.

Hovering over the young woman, Hinata was visibly shaken and crying and felt like the failure she was. She had tried to stop it from happening, but the best she could do was alert the woman who was closest to the street that Jonas was in danger. At the last moment she tried to stop the truck from hitting the young woman but she was too late…just like she always was.

In heaven, she had the highest death/accident rate for the precious ones she was assigned to protect out of anyone. It was not a statistic she was proud of. Especially since she tried so hard to protect them, but something always seemed to go wrong. A groan tore out of her as she felt like she was cursed.

No wonder her superiors stopped assigning people for her to watch over and protect, because things like this always had a way of happening to her. The other angels even gave her a nickname behind her back.

She was called The Oops Angel.

Panicking as she watched the life begin to slowly recede out of the sweet young woman, Hinata began to pray and intercede on her behalf. "Please… let her live and take my life instead."

Immediately she found herself in the celestial world in-between where angels watched over the earth with her superior, Kurenai, standing in front of her with her hands on her hips while she shook her head sadly.

"I…didn't mean for it to happen…I'm sorry, I will do anything to make it right…please tell me how I can fix this!" Hinata pleaded as she fell on her knees.

Kurenai gave her a soft look as Hinata had always been one of her favorites, because no matter how bad her luck was, she always had such a kind heart and meant well.

"Shhh Hinata, I know," the elder angel said soothingly as she took her hand and made her rise. "A decision has already been handed down from above, the young woman will be coming home to heaven and you will take her place on earth."

Hinata began to cry, that wasn't exactly what she had been hoping for, the young woman was too young to die.

"Kurenai, why can't she live and I die? She is so young and was so kind toward others while she was on earth?"

"I know it seems hard to understand, but we all agree it will be for the best," Hinata's boss pronounced to her with a look that told her arguing with her would be a very bad idea.

The blood was rushing wildly in her head as she had a feeling there was going to be more to this than stripping her of her halo and making her human.

She didn't have long to wait before Kurenai began to explain the rest of her sentence.

"While you are on earth we will give you one task and if you are successful you will be allowed to return to heaven and live amongst us once again."

Hinata had a feeling it was going to be difficult and she soon found she was right. "I will do anything you ask, Kurenai, what is it you want me to do?"

"The young man you met at the mall, Itachi Uchiha. His brother has asked for a miracle for him and the Master still believes there is good in him. He is very wealthy and powerful and over the past few years he has hardened his heart off toward everyone except his young nephew and has been consumed by pain from the loss of his brother."

Hinata listened to her boss with a sinking heart as she had a feeling he was going to be nearly impossible to change…people like him who stopped allowing themselves to love others and lived only to make money usually were.

This kind of miracle seemed to be utterly beyond a failure like her.

She looked around as the skies around them began to grow dark and gray and the celestial lights around them begin to dim…

"Your assignment is to teach him the true meaning of Christmas…" she heard Kurenai's voice say before she began to fade away.

"I will do my best," Hinata said with determination and tried not to wince when her gossamer wings disappeared and her lovely halo stopped glowing and fell off of her head with a loud clank.

The last thing Hinata remembered before the penetrating darkness overtook her was Kurenai telling her that she would be watching her…

* * *

**Author's Note:** I am working on my other stories and will probably be posting the epilogue for DTBR within a few days. Regarding this story, I hope to have it finished by Christmas.

Oh and btw, I happen to believe in angels:)


	2. Chapter 2

**Christmas Miracle**

**~2~**

* * *

The sterile scent of bleach assailed her nostrils as she woke up and she had been in enough hospitals over the past few centuries to know she was in one. A small groan slipped from her mouth sounding foreign to her ears and she realized she had made it after she had tried to move her body.

Frowning, Hinata tried to shift her body and found she couldn't move at all and her head was throbbing. It reminded her of the time when she had accidentally flown head first into Jacob's ladder and knocked herself out.

A sad smile slipped over her face at the memory and she soon regretted it as even that movement seemed to make the rest of her body hurt all over.

Very carefully, she ran her tongue over her dry lips and tried to swallow but her mouth felt parched as a desert and gritty too, like it was full of sand.

_Uhg_, she mentally groaned and realized she needed something to drink. It occurred to her that humans really had it rough. Angels never needed to drink or eat or deal with bodily functions.

"She is waking up," she heard a relieved voice say and could feel someone's presence next to her. The human's aura felt familiar and she guessed it must be the man from the department store.

Her assignment, Itachi Uchiha.

Within a matter of moments she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps entering the room and voices all around her and she tried to summon the will to open her eyes. It was hard because even breathing at this point seemed incredibly difficult.

Someone placed their hand over hers and she could feel it though whatever was surrounding her and was pinning her down. Her eyes flew open when she realized she was in a full body cast. Out of nowhere an irrational giggle almost escaped her as she realized she probably looked silly just like one of Cleopatra's mummies.

She sure hoped no one from home was watching her right now.

Her eyes shut automatically after she was practically blinded by a bright light above her, shining down directly on her. A moment later she felt someone reach above her and heard a clicking noise as it was turned off.

"There now, that should be better," a professional sounding voice said to her. "I am Dr. Tsunade. Can you try to open your eyes again and tell me your name?"

Summoning forth an extreme amount of effort, Hinata opened her eyes and saw a middle aged lady with blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes was staring down at her.

"My…my name is Hinata," she whispered tiredly and her throat felt so dry it was hard for her to talk.

"Good Hinata," the doctor responded in a positive voice. "Can you tell us your last name?"

Hinata closed her eyes anxiously and it dawned on her she didn't have a last name.

_Oh dear, what am I going to tell them?_

"Just Hinata," she offered, trying to buy herself time and decided to deal with the problem later. Her body was in too much pain and she felt completely drained of energy. She just wanted to go to sleep and sleep forever.

Next to her she heard the doctor scribbling notes rapidly on a clipboard.

"Okay, well… can you tell us where you are from so we can try to contact your family?" Dr. Tsunade pressed in a voice heavily laced with concern.

A few tears slipped down Hinata's cheeks as she knew she wasn't allowed to go home to heaven anymore. And she didn't know anyone on earth and had no clue where she was going to go once she was released from the hospital.

She was utterly alone in this world.

"No…there is no one," she whispered and closed her eyes and in doing so, missed the pitying looks on the faces of the nursing staff around her. Her eyelids were just too heavy to hold open any longer.

Someone held something by her face and put a tube-like thing into her mouth and ordered her to drink. She complied and could tell by his familiar aura and the sound of his voice it was Itachi.

The water was amazingly soothing to her parched mouth; it was so welcome it made her want to tear up again.

"Thank you," she whispered gratefully.

"You're welcome, now go to sleep," he ordered her again and the sound of his voice was the last thing she remembered before she drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

"She is one lucky girl," Hinata heard an unfamiliar man say to Itachi as she started to come out of a deep sleep.

"Hardly, I wouldn't consider being hit by a truck and wrapped up in a full body cast lucky," Itachi responded dryly as he shot Hinata a pointed look. "But, the doctor claims her healing so far has been nothing short of miraculous," he had to admit.

The unfamiliar man let out a bark of laughter, "Well, your accountant will be glad to hear the news. Her hospital bills have been enormous so far."

In her hospital bed, Hinata face scrunched up in misery as she felt awful her hospital stay was costing him so much money.

"The amount doesn't matter, Kisame, I am responsible for it."

"Bite your tongue Itachi, you know you are never to say such things out loud. That's why you pay me big-ass dollars to make certain that you are never considered liable for anything." His chief attorney joked in a cynical voice.

Itachi frowned as he saw a slight movement from the bed and gestured for his friend/attorney to follow him out of the room into the hallway and closed the door to her room behind him.

"Kisame, she saved Jonas's life," Itachi responded quietly and his attorney knew right then and there that his decision was final. All of Itachi's staff knew that when his nephew was involved the cost of something was never to be questioned.

Still, Kisame worried, this girl could take his boss to the cleaners at this rate and he felt he needed to make sure she didn't come after Itachi months or years down the road.

"I understand, but after her hospital bills are paid and you come to some sort of settlement with her financially, I am going to have her sign a release form so she cannot make any further claims upon you."

"Naturally," Itachi told him with a tired look. He had known all along his bloodless shark of an attorney wasn't going to let someone take advantage of him and was going to make the girl sign something releasing him from liability. It was like Kisame said, that was why he paid him the big bucks.

"Write something up and I will have her sign it after she is released from the hospital," Itachi directed him before heading back towards her room.

* * *

Itachi opened the door slowly and saw that her eyes were closed and appeared to be asleep. With a sigh he sat down in a chair next to her bed and waited for her to acknowledge his presence in the room. After a few moments of silence he decided to make the first move.

"I know you are awake," he stated flatly.

Itachi almost smiled when he saw her body freeze slightly a light blush creep over her cheeks. It proved to him that she had overheard his conversation with Kisame.

"I am sorry this is costing you so much," she apologized and cleared her throat noisily. Which caused Itachi to automatically lift up a cup of water near her and placed the tip of a straw in her mouth and watched as she drank the water greedily.

"Don't be sorry," Itachi responded gruffly. "You saved my nephew's life."

Hinata closed her eyes tightly as anguish washed over her. She knew she had only played a small part in saving him when she alerted the young woman to the danger he was in. But then again, if she hadn't accidentally shown herself to Jonas in the first place and lost one of her feathers then the incident would have never happened in the first place.

A deeply felt sigh escaped her as she wondered for about the tenth time how something as small as a feather could cause so much grief. None of the other angels ever had stuff like that happen to them, just her.

_The young woman deserves most of the credit for saving his life - not me_, Hinata thought sadly. Hearing the gratitude in Itachi's voice made her feel like a bit of a fraud and it made her determined to complete the task assigned to her no matter what so she could go back to heaven and thank the young woman in person.

Her eyes glanced over in Itachi's direction and she saw he was waiting patiently for her to respond to him.

Taking a deep breath she replied with almost painful honesty, "I didn't do much really…he is a precious boy and m-most people would have done the same thing for him if they were in my place."

"Hmpf," Itachi responded and eyed her somewhat askance because he knew what she said was complete nonsense. He seriously doubted even a few people would have risked their lives to save his nephew like she did. But he could tell it was all making her upset to talk about it, so he decided to talk about something else.

A small dent formed on his flawless forehead when he realized he had not introduced himself to her yet.

"My name is Itachi Uchiha and the boy you saved is my nephew Jonas Uchiha."

"I know," Hinata replied before she could stop herself and mentally groaned when she realized she wasn't supposed to know that information yet.

_Oops._

Itachi stared at her for a moment with a perplexed look and then realized she must have overheard Kisame speak his name out loud while he was in the room.

An awkward silence penetrated the room for a few moments as Hinata closed her eyes because it was the only way of hiding from him at her disposal since she couldn't move or cover her face because of the body cast. Itachi stared out through the window before he remembered something her had something to give her.

Reaching down next to his chair he popped open his briefcase and pulled out a drawing from Jonas and a fond smile tugged at his mouth when he saw Jonas had signed his name with a backwards capital J. His brother Sasuke used to do the same thing when he was his age, except he would invert the letter S.

"Here," he told her as he held the drawing in front of her so she could see it and felt something begin to melt inside of him at the innocent look of delight on her face.

"Aww, this is so adorable," she commented as her eyes grew misty as they took in the crayon drawn rainbow and sun and the cheery little note obviously written by a young child telling her, "to get well soon."

"He has been very worried about you," Itachi explained as he placed the drawing on a table next to her bed. "But I have assured him you are doing fine and are getting better every day…"

"Indeed she is, Mr. Uchiha," Dr. Tsunade interrupted him as she stepped through the open doorway and shot Hinata an almost baffled look.

"Miraculous, I would say…you have only been here three days and I think we can safely remove the cast from your body."

Hinata closed her eyes with obvious relief and her mouth slid into a huge grin as the news that her torture was soon to be over finally began to sink in.

_Oh, thank you Lord!_

"Are you sure you are not removing it too soon?" Itachi asked the doctor as he looked at Hinata skeptically. He had witnessed the accident and could still see her in his mind flying through the air after the truck hit her and hear the crunch of her breaking bones as she hit the pavement only a few days ago.

Dr. Tsunade looked at her patient and shook her head in amazement, "I have never seen anything like it before. We took her for an x-ray, CT and ultrasound this morning and they all show that she no longer has any internal injuries and her bones have all knit back together and are completely healed."

Itachi and Dr. Tsunade looked down at Hinata as she lay in her bed, their eyes were asking her for an explanation which made Hinata blush slightly and mutter weakly, "I guess I just…um, heal quickly."

"Well, yes I would say so," her doctor responded with a small frown and was still uncomfortable with the fact that in this case there was no medical explanation for her healing. The severity of the trauma and injuries the girl suffered should have kept her in here for at least a month, if not longer. Now it looked like she would probably be released at the end of the week.

A blonde-haired nurse entered the room with a tray full of instruments including something that looked like a small saw and Itachi saw that as his cue to leave. He had spent practically every waking moment with Hinata in this room over the past three days and had a lot of work he needed to catch up on.

He picked up his briefcase and made eye contact with Hinata and nodded politely before exiting the room.

As Hinata watched the door close behind him she was surprised by the unfamiliar pang of loneliness that swept over her. She had never experienced that emotion before and she began to wonder what was causing it – after all, the room was full of people.

The sound of a saw began to buzz loudly over her and she shut her eyes tightly as she could feel it vibrate through the cast she was wearing. Once they were all done, they gave her a bath and dressed her in a hospital gown. It felt wonderful to be able to move again and she was only in a little pain now. A nurse came in and wrapped a snuggly thick blanket around her and took her blood pressure and Hinata was not surprised when the reading was normal. A sad but knowing smile tugged at her lips as she remembered how Kurenai had visited her last night in a dream and told her the reason she felt so bad was because her body was adjusting to becoming a human. She should start feeling better soon and prepare herself to start her mission.

Her eyes drifted over toward the window and saw it was becoming very dark outside and realized he probably wasn't coming back tonight. Sighing softly, Hinata pressed the button one of the nurses showed her and dimmed the lights in her room and closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.

An hour later and she was still tossing and turning and wide awake when one of the nurses came into check on her.

"I can't sleep," Hinata muttered feeling a bit restless and confused why her body was refusing to cooperate with her.

The nurse smiled, "Would you like to watch some television? That always works for me when I have trouble sleeping."

Hinata heard about television but never actually watched one before, her eyes lit up with curiosity. "Uh okay, how do I turn it on?"

"I'll show you," the nurse told her as she walked around the bed and pushed button with a picture of a television on it. "You use this button to change channels."

Hinata's eyes opened wide with awe when she saw the screen light up and saw a whole new world was opening up to her.

An hour later she was still engrossed in it.

Television sure was interesting and informative and she was learning so much. She always did wonder what motivated people to act the way they did.

The title of a show flashed across the screen and she thought it looked pretty interesting. The music was catchy and the images that flashed across the screen looked kind of exciting.

CSI Miami.

The first few minutes of the show had Hinata gripping her blanket as sinister music came out of the television and she watched in horror as a young woman got stabbed, repeatedly and didn't even try to move.

"What are you doing? Run away from him!" She finally yelled at the woman on the screen. She bit her lip as she watched the woman fall dead and the show faded out and then a commercial popped up on the screen.

Her eyes were open wide to what she just saw, but like a spectator at a train wreck, she couldn't look away. It wasn't long before another commercial came on telling her that she was in the middle of a CSI marathon and CSI New York was coming up next, followed by CSI Las Vegas after that.

"Well, I should just consider this to be research," she told herself and felt even more wide awake than she did before. Plumping up her pillows behind her she took a long drink and decided if she had to be awake she might as well use her time wisely and learn as much about people as she could.

Two hours later, one of the housekeepers came into empty her trash can and kept looking at the screen while she worked.

"I watch this show all the time at home, CSI Miami is my favorite," the housekeeper told her just before she was about to leave.

"You can stay and watch it with me if you want," Hinata offered cheerfully and decided some company would be nice. "My name is Hinata."

"We-ell," the lady said slowly as she looked at the clock and saw it was three o'clock in the morning and figured out if she only stayed until the end of the show she would still have time to finish her work before her shift ended at six.

"Okay, I'll stay, my name is Rosa by the way," she told her before plopping down in the seat next to Hinata's bed and began to get lost in her favorite show.

* * *

Itachi was surprised when he came into her room the next morning and saw it was overflowing with people. Some of them, he noticed, were staff members and nurses and couple of people were patients from across the hall.

He shot her a questioning look before he glanced meaningfully at all of the people in the room.

"I couldn't sleep," she explained with a blush after all of the people had left and she was all alone with him.

Itachi turned away from her and stared moodily out the large window in her room and felt like a fool because he had been worried about leaving her all alone last night.

He released a deep breath and reminded himself that pretty soon she was going to be released from the hospital and he would be able to pay her off and cut all of his ties with her. The thought should have made him feel better but for some reason it didn't.

The sound of a gentle snore behind him roused him out of his depressing thoughts and turning around slowly he saw she was fast asleep. As he stared down at her and watched her while she slept he found he was disappointed. He had been hoping to talk to her and learn more about her, so he could contact her family or send for her belongings.

From the bed next to him, a contented murmur escaped her as she snuggled down deeper under the blankets and soon Itachi could only hear the sound of her gentle breathing.

Realizing it was going to be awhile before he could speak to her again, he pulled out his laptop and settled himself down in the chair next to her bedside. And over the next few hours he buried himself in the financial report his assistant, Shino, had sent him…

**Author's Note:** I am really honed onto this story right now and most likely will have another chapter finished by tomorrow. All of your comments have been a terrific motivator for me. Thanks so much:)


	3. Chapter 3

**Christmas Miracle**

**~3~**

* * *

His eyes were cool as they surveyed the group of people assembled in her room from his position in the doorway. As if by magic the laughing conversation dried up to a trickle and people quickly began to find excuses to leave the room.

When they were finally alone, Itachi looked at her with serious eyes and told her, "We need to talk."

Hinata yawned and felt herself becoming all warm and sleepy now that he was here. For some reason his presence always had that effect on her.

"Yes Itachi," she responded and sat up straighter in her bed so she wouldn't fall asleep while he was talking to her like she did the last time they talked.

His eyes searched her innocent gray ones and he frowned slightly as he still wasn't sure what to think about her. The way she kept avoiding him was making him think she was hiding something.

But out of everyone in the world he had ever met she seemed to be the least capable of acting with deceit.

The woman was practically a saint and it seemed to him that just about everyone on the fourth floor of this hospital adored her. The warmth of her gentle smile and the way she cared for people attracted them to her like she was an angel in their midst.

There were always so many people hovering around her he was starting to get seriously annoyed, especially since she hardly ever talked to him. It seemed to him whenever he came to see her she would just smile at him and then fall asleep.

Well, he decided today he was not going to allow her to put him off any longer; he was going to get some answers.

Lifting his gaze back on her, he released a long frustrated sigh when he noticed she had fallen asleep again.

Without even giving his action a second thought he reached over and shook her by the shoulder, gently of course, so he wouldn't aggravate her injuries. And he felt his heart skip a beat when her luminous gray eyes opened slowly and a whisper of a smile touched her lips when she saw it was him in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Itachi," she said before yawning delicately. "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"Yes," he responded slowly as he couldn't stop himself from staring into her eyes. He didn't know it but he was smiling at her.

When he saw her look away from him and a blush creep over her cheeks he cleared his throat and picked up the small duffle bag filled with clothes from Sakura in it.

"Dr. Tsunade just informed me she is planning to release you tomorrow morning and I brought you some clothes to wear out of the hospital," he told her as he handed her the duffle bag.

This was the first she had heard about being discharged and even though she knew it was going to happen soon and she was dumbfounded. Hinata felt completely unprepared for what she was supposed to do next.

Feeling his eyes on her and stalling for time, Hinata turned away from him and carefully set the bag down on the other side of her bed.

"Do you have somewhere to go when you get out?" Itachi asked her quietly.

Hinata closed her eyes sharply in pain as she thought about her home and the sheer brilliance of it, especially now around Christmas time when everything would be so festive and beautiful. And the music…a tear slipped down her face as she thought about the holy hymns they sang around this time of year…she missed it all so much.

"No, I don't," she whispered and stared down at the ground and her long black hair partially hid her face.

"Well, do you have a job to go to?" He pressed after he gave her a moment to compose herself.

"No," Hinata choked out as she remembered with shame the last job/assignment she had was over eighty years ago. The person she had been watching over was very wealthy and loved travelling in exotic ships. They were just about to arrive home safely at the dock from Germany in one of those hydrogen airships when her person accidentally tripped over a loose wire and the spark ignited a fire which quickly came to be known as the Hindenburg Disaster.

Seeing she was starting to get really upset, Itachi looked at her with understanding eyes, "I take it you had a bad experience on your last job."

That was such a gross understatement considering the disaster and mayhem of her last assignment a bitter laugh escaped her before her body shuttered and she wrapped her arms around herself in a protective manner.

She looked so lost and forlorn he did the first thing he could think of to calm her – he pulled out his check book.

"You don't have to worry about anything for now, I will give you enough money to live on until you can find a place to live and a new job," he told her as he wrote in a large amount on the check and added an extra zero to it for good measure.

Nervous laughter began to bubble up within her when she realized he was going to leave her and she would be living on her own. That arrangement was seriously going to jeopardize her mission and she had pretty much had blown her chance to teach him anything while she had been in the hospital.

Because she couldn't stay awake in his presence.

"What is your surname?" He asked her as he looked up from the check he was writing and his eyes were firm as they looked at her.

Hinata felt like hyperventilating as she realized that lying was not an option for her and she could no longer put off telling him the truth.

She closed her eyes and released a long sigh, "I don't have one."

Itachi gave her a long and patient look, "I am trying to help you."

"I am telling you the truth, my name is Hinata and where I come from surnames are not given," she tried to explain and felt a shiver of dread pass through her when she saw his eyes begin to narrow slightly in suspicion.

_Oh God, help me, he doesn't believe me_, she prayed in her mind.

"Where _do you _come from, Hinata?" Itachi asked her and the look on her face warned him he wasn't going to like her answer.

Lifting up her eyes toward his she told him the truth, "I used to live in heaven."

"Heaven," he repeated in stunned disbelief. Of all of the things he had expected her to tell him this was not one of them. His eyes were hard as they bore down on her, "You don't seriously expect me to believe that."

"Yes, because it's the truth."

Itachi's dark eyes met hers and his were filled with disappointment. "Prove it."

Hinata's heart sank as she knew she had no way to prove it to him, she had lost her all of her powers when she became a human. "I can't."

"I expected as much," Itachi responded impassively. He ripped up the check he was writing and pulled out his wallet and threw down a wad of cash on the table by her bedside. He also placed his lawyer's business card next to it.

"If you need anything, contact my lawyer and he will supply you with whatever you may need."

"Itachi wait," Hinata cried as she climbed off of the bed when she saw he was leaving and stood behind him in only her dressing gown. Her legs felt shaky from not using them during the last week, but she didn't care and could only think of one thing right now.

She didn't want him to leave.

"I know about your brother… and I saw inside your heart, how you shut everyone out and the only person you really care about is your nephew. Everyone else may as well be dead to you."

Itachi froze and whipped around so fast she gasped and would have fallen back if he hadn't reached out and pulled her toward him. Hinata's eyes opened wide and her lips parted slightly as she stared up into angry black eyes only inches away from hers.

A bitter smile twisted his lips as he looked down at her. "Oh you're good," he mocked softly. "Those innocent eyes of yours almost had me believing…you were for real."

"I am not lying to you," Hinata protested and added with a sad smile. "Angels aren't allowed to."

"Goodbye Hinata." Itachi said in a dismissive voice after he turned away from her and picked up his briefcase. His shoulders were rigid as he walked through the doorway and out of her life.

**AN:** I bet you all weren't expecting the angst to be so early in this story or for me to update so quickly. I wasn't kidding when I told you I wanted to try to finish this by Christmas. I have already started working on the next chapter and should be able to post it sometime tomorrow. Thanks so much for all of your comments, I appreciate all of them so much!


	4. Chapter 4

**Christmas Miracle**

**~4~**

**AN:** _Most of the characters may be a little out of character at times, but I will try to keep their personalities consistent throughout the story, Thanks for reading._

* * *

Looking down at the city from his office on the top floor of the building, Itachi noticed a gray colored fog was beginning to roll in from off of the water.

The sky was cloudy too and it looked like it was going to rain anytime now.

The colors outside reminded him of her eyes, gray as the morning mist and he had gotten lost in them more than once. There was something pure and all-seeing about them that made him feel she could at times see into his very soul.

"An angel – _please_," he murmured sarcastically to himself as his hand crumbled up the piece of paper he was holding.

_Who was she trying to fool?_

He thought it more likely she had found out about his brother through gossip rather than supernatural powers or insight. For it was fairly common knowledge that Sasuke had died about four years ago.

Regarding the other part she said about him shutting people out, he knew she was right. He had always been quiet and kept to himself, but after his brother died he didn't even want to make the effort to get to know people.

Mostly because he didn't see anyone out there worth knowing.

Until her.

He had felt drawn to her practically from the moment he met her. The cheerful smile she seemed to always wear around him, the compassion and sincerity in her eyes when she listened to people and comforted the endless of stream of visitors in her room. She always seemed to have patience with all of them no matter how tedious their problems were.

He had never really found those qualities in a person attractive before but in her he found them to be almost irresistible.

_Or at least I did_, he thought and his eyes darkened with disappointment and anger.

Itachi heard a knock on the door and before he could even tell the person to enter Sakura breezed in.

Standing in the doorway she leaned against the doorjamb in a dramatic fashion and complained, "Oh god, I am so exhausted."

Not even bothering to ask her why or play along with her ridiculous games, Itachi set his agile mind to figuring out the fastest way to get her to leave. He decided to go with Sasuke's old way of dealing with her and just get to the point.

"What do you want?"

Sakura smiled seductively behind his back, "I think you and I both know the answer to that."

Itachi's mouth twitched with distaste before he explained to her for the hundredth time, "That is never going to happen between us and you know it."

"We'll see," she replied optimistically and looked around the room with searching eyes. "So where is the charity case?"

Itachi ignored her attempt to provoke him; he did not want to discuss Hinata with her at all.

"Do you like my name for her?" Sakura asked with a grin, amused by her own joke. She walked over to the bar and poured herself a drink before she looked over at him. "I think it is pretty appropriate name for her considering she is unemployed and homeless and all."

Itachi forced himself to count to five before he threw the bitch out of his office. He thought she had some nerve trashing the woman who saved her son's life like that.

He took a deep breath and realized she was just trying to piss him off today for some reason, she probably wanted something from him and this was her way of getting it.

"You have five seconds to tell me what you want before I physically throw you out," he warned her through clenched teeth.

"Okay, okay," Sakura said as she threw up her hands as if in surrender and muttered, "Boy, what got into you today, you are awful grumpy."

Itachi's eyes narrowed impatiently as he looked from her to the door.

She sighed dramatically. "I need a vacation and some money, I have a friend who wants to go to Paris and go shopping and I want to go with her."

Itachi pulled out his checkbook and wrote out a check for ten thousand dollars and thought if it got her away from him for awhile it would be money well spent.

He frowned before he gave it to her as he thought of something. "Are you taking Jonas with you?"

Sakura gave him a look, like are you insane. "No, I was hoping you would watch him for a week while I am gone."

"Sakura, we have been through this before, I have to work and he will be out of school soon."

"Well I have already bought my ticket and I am leaving tomorrow," she told him as she took the check from his hand. "You are just going to have to work something out. Have your housekeeper watch him or something, it's not like he doesn't practically live at your house anyway."

Itachi rolled his eyes and had to admit she did have a point, Sakura's apartment was on the floor beneath his and Jonas came over to his place all the time.

"Fine," he snapped.

Just before she was about to leave Kisame walked in.

"Hello Kisame," she greeted him with a Cheshire Cat grin and waved the check in his face. "I'm going to Paris in the morning."

"Good," he snapped and bit back a smile after she finally absorbed his sarcasm and in a flash of pink left the room.

"Man, I hate that bitch," Kisame complained darkly and looked at the door. "There isn't enough alcohol on the planet to ever make me want some of that. I swear to this day she must have slipped something in your brother's drink the night Jonas was conceived."

Itachi happened to agree with him on everything he just said, but he could never prove the second part, but at least he got Jonas out of the tragedy.

"Do you need something?" he asked his lawyer in a carefully modulated voice before sitting down behind his desk.

"No, not really," Kisame said as he searched his friend with sharp eyes. "How come you aren't at the hospital today?"

Itachi gave him a look that told him it was none of his business.

His lawyer ignored him and remarked casually, "I take it you are having some trouble with your little liability."

"Her name is Hinata," Itachi snapped.

Kisame raised his eyebrows at his friend's uncharacteristic show of temper. His gravelly voice was almost kind when he asked, "What's wrong, Itachi?"

A muscle clenched in Itachi's jaw as he picked up a pen from off of his desk and stared at it for a long time before he answered, "She isn't who I thought she was."

_Whoa!_ Kisame thought a little floored, he had never seen his unflappable friend so rattled over a woman of all things.

"Let me guess - she is a hooker?" he prodded with an amused look on his face.

"No," Itachi said as he shook his head in an impatient and sad way. "She claims to be an angel."

"What?" Kisame roared before he began to chuckle and then laugh. "You're shitting me - right?"

His friend breathed out deeply and turned and stared out the window. "No, I am not."

"Well, well, wings and halos and all that shit," Kisame mused out loud and was highly amused.

Itachi was not, and his voice was cool when he looked meaningfully towards the door. "If you don't have anything important you need to see me about, then I suggest you leave."

Something in the way Itachi looked caused his friend's amusement to vanish and be replaced with concern. "Sorry," he said and gave his friend a knowing look. "I know what you need…"

"What?"

A smirk came over the lawyers face, "It's been a long time since I have gotten a chance to kick your ass, how about it?"

Itachi looked at him with a spark of interest in his eyes; he thought it sounded like a good idea. It wasn't like he had accomplished much today anyway.

"Fine, I will meet you down there in five minutes."

Kisame turned to leave and was feeling fired up, he wasn't on Itachi's level when it came to martial arts but he was close. And it was always fun to spar with him.

* * *

The company's gym or as it was commonly referred to as "the dojo" was huge and it doubled also as a volleyball/basketball court. It was a great employee benefit and it had several large viewing areas above it for spectators. The employees considered what they were about to see to be one of the major perks of working there.

Five minutes later when Itachi walked out into the center of the dojo he saw the office grapevine had been working overtime and the spectator areas were brimming over with employees. When he removed his shirt he heard a few females shout out catcalls from above him and he sent a glare in that direction of the box which immediately silenced them.

He breathed out shortly and wasn't in the mood to be on display right now. But he didn't have time think about it any further as Kisame had brought a few associates with him and they were all bowing to him at once.

A small smile touched Itachi's lips after he bowed back. He was probably going to have to double all of their end of the year bonuses when he was done with this group, but he had a feeling it was going to be worth it…

Walking back toward the showers, Itachi had to admit he felt a little better and some of the edginess he had felt had left him. He opened his locker and pulled out his clean clothes and grabbed a bottle of shampoo.

"Did you ever get her to sign that release form I gave you?" Kisame asked suddenly.

At the thought of her, he felt tension flood his body again. He didn't give a damn about the release form, but he knew Kisame did. "No, I didn't."

The lawyer gave him a look filled with doom and gloom, "You do realize you have accepted responsibility for harming her and she could sue the hell out of you, right?"

"Let her…it doesn't matter to me," Itachi said with a shrug and turned to go take a shower.

Kisame shot his boss an irritated glare for being so stubborn. "Well, if you won't take care of it, then I will have to do it for you," he muttered to himself when he saw that Itachi had already left the room.

* * *

Listlessly flipping through channels, Hinata took a bite of her chocolate sundae and frowned a little when she saw she had finished it already and set it down with the rest of them. Throughout the day some of the nurses noticed she had not been acting like her cheerful self and they brought her a large one with whipped cream and a cherry on top a few hours ago, then another and another.

Hinata thought they were really yummy but she was starting to feel a little sick. She took a long drink of water through a straw which naturally reminded her of him.

It was Itachi who gave her first drink of water.

She flipped through the channels and stopped when she saw CSI New York come on the screen and felt like turning it off.

He had watched an episode with her last night before he left. She had laughed because he had figured out who the bad guy was within the first ten minutes of the show.

Hinata bit her lip as she felt tears begin to bubble up within her and she tried to think of a way to make them stop.

All day long she visited with people like she normally did and spent time telling everyone goodbye knowing she was being discharged tomorrow, but by the end of the day she still had no idea what she was supposed to do after she left the hospital.

Because without him to give her purpose, she had become nothing more than an aimless wanderer in a foreign land.

A person without a home and without any hope of ever being allowed to go back.

A shiver passed through her and she pulled her blanket up higher to ward off the chill and released a shaky breath.

Lifting her eyes toward the television she saw a shadow fill the doorway and her heart immediately leapt in her chest.

_Itachi?_

Her face fell when she saw it was a man she had never met before, but something about his aura felt familiar.

Hinata gave him a polite smile and sat up straighter when she noticed he was watching her closely. "May, I help you with something?"

"I must say your looks have improved since I saw you last," Kisame remarked smoothly as he looked her over.

At his words Hinata felt puzzled before she remembered the full body cast she was in a few days ago she smiled at him. "I was very happy to have it removed; being all wrapped up like that was like a form of medieval torture."

He smiled politely at her small joke and handed her his card, "I am Kisame Hoshigaki, Itachi Uchiha's lawyer and I am sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you the other day, I believe you were asleep."

Hinata offered a chair for him to sit down, "That's alright Mr. Hoshigaki, I tend to do that a lot."

Kisame sat down in the seat next to her bed and he found himself unusually perplexed by the young woman in the hospital bed next to him. Her eyes were extraordinary and when she smiled at him he felt like the sun was shining.

He had come here expecting to find a deceitful, gold-digger (like Sakura) but instead he found this angelic young woman. It was unsettling to him and it took him a moment to get his bearing and figure out how he was going to handle her.

He was about to begin questioning her when Hinata spoke up first.

"How is he doing, Mr. Hoshigaki?" she asked him and when he looked into her eyes he could see they were clouded with worry for his boss.

His first thought was she is way too nice for him, "Please, call me Kisame," he told her before explaining that Itachi was doing fine. The relief in her eyes was almost palpable and it made his estimation of her as a person go up a notch.

"Please call me Hinata," she offered in kind and gave him an apologetic look as she added, "…and no, I don't have a last name."

Kisame bit back a grin at how open she was. She was the complete opposite of Itachi. He was becoming increasingly curious about her.

"Itachi tells me you claim to be an angel, so tell me, are you a good angel or a bad one?"

Hinata's eyes opened wide almost as if she was insulted by his question. "A good one, of course, I think you know where all of the bad ones went," she said and dropped her glance down toward the floor with a delicate shudder.

Kisame put his hand over his chin to partially cover up his smile as he was beginning to feel like he could spend all day talking to her.

"Yeah, I can't really picture you there."

"No, me either."

They sat there for a moment in amiable silence and out of the corner of his eye Kisame watched her and considered himself to be an excellent judge of character. As a high priced lawyer it was almost a prerequisite for him to be so. Yet as good as he was at reading people he still couldn't quite come to any solid conclusions about her.

Logically she had to be either one of two things, either she was a hell of a good actress OR she was telling the truth and in his mind both conclusions were hard to believe about her.

Taking a deep breath, he decided he needed to pry deeper.

"So Hinata, tell me about yourself," he asked her and when he saw her hesitate a little he immediately reassured her he was trying to help her. "I promise I will keep whatever you tell me strictly confidential."

Hinata looked at him closely for a long moment and could tell he was being truthful, so she told him a little about her life and how she ended up here on earth.

"What has happened to the girl who saved Jonas?" Kisame asked with a frown as he was trying to be as objective about her story as he could possibly be under the circumstances. Her story was pretty hard to swallow.

"She is in heaven, and I pray she is happy there, she deserves it. I hope when I get to go back, I will get to see her and talk to her," Hinata responded in a wistful voice.

"And your assignment? You say it involves Itachi…" he prodded and hoped that she wouldn't all of a sudden begin to clam up on him because he was dying to hear what she was going to say next.

Hinata nodded solemnly, "My assignment is to teach him the real meaning of Christmas."

All of his amusement faded when he heard what she told him and he looked at her with sad eyes. "Itachi hates Christmas because his brother was killed in a car crash on Christmas Eve."

Tears filled Hinata's eyes and she covered her face with her hands as she mourned for Itachi and the loss of his brother. She began to wonder why in the world her superiors would give such a difficult assignment to someone as failure ridden as her.

Kisame watched her cry and began to realize Itachi would be a fool to let her get away from him. And even though he still found her story difficult to believe, he concluded that she would never do anything intentional to hurt his friend. He would bet his life on it and he was not someone who liked to gamble.

"Hinata, I wish you luck on your assignment because with him you are going to need it. But I have known Itachi for a long time and believe that if anyone could help him, it would be you," the lawyer told her in a gruff voice as he held up a piece of paper in front of her and continued. "I came here this evening to have you sign this form releasing Itachi from any further liability toward you."

Hinata frowned as she looked at it and her mouth quirked when she saw on the part with her name she was listed as the person calling herself Hinata and the birth date was left blank. She quickly read over it and asked for a pen.

Kisame shook his head and leaned in closer to her and searched her eyes closely as though making up his mind about something.

"I like you Hinata, and I think Itachi does too, so I am going to give you some free legal advice and tell you to not sign this form," he told her with a slow grin and decided he was going to send a text to Itachi and see what comes of it in the morning.

"Are you sure, Kisame?" Hinata asked with wide, sincere eyes. "Itachi has done so much for me already, paying all of my hospital bills and giving me money. I don't want anything else from him."

_Except to see him again_, she thought sadly.

"Yes, I am sure," Kisame said and gave her a big sharky grin as he took the paper away from her and put it back in his briefcase before he stood up to leave. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, my dear. You have no idea how much I have enjoyed talking with you."

Hinata smiled back, "Same here Kisame and thanks for the advice."

"You're welcome," he told her as he left the room and under his breath he spoke to his absent friend, "Merry Christmas, you cold bastard."

**Author's Note:** Here is another update and I apologize to those of you who are waiting for me to update my other stories. I have decided to pretty much put them on hiatus and work just on this one until it is finished. If I have extra time and feel motivated I might work on one of the others but I can't promise anything. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season…Sil, my friend, this longer chapter was for you:)


	5. Chapter 5

**Christmas Miracle**

**~5~**

* * *

It had been a long, sleepless night for Hinata but it was finally morning. Dr. Tsunade had just come to see her and announced she was going to be releasing her in a few hours. Her eyes drifted toward the window and saw it was still snowing outside.

As she watched the snow fall past her hospital window she thought over the past week of all of the people she had met and just how fragile humans all were and how so many of them were sad, lonely or in pain. It made her feel good that she had been able to make their lives a little brighter during the time she had been with them.

Over the long night while she couldn't sleep she pondered her situation and her usual sense of optimism began to slowly reassert itself. And she decided to treat her falling out with Itachi as a minor setback instead of a disaster and see what the future brought her because fretting about things just wasn't going to make them any better.

Her situation wasn't completely dire, Itachi had left her a few thousand dollars in which to get started with her new life and part of her was looking forward to spending more time on earth. She could probably rent a little apartment or even a hotel for a few days until she found a job or hopefully a new assignment from above would be sent down to her.

Feeling a little better and even able to smile a bit, Hinata was only a tiny bit sad when she thought of Itachi and realized maybe she wasn't the right angel for the job after all. He was a complicated human and with her track record of destruction and mayhem she probably would have just made his life even worse.

Reaching down beside the bed she picked up the duffle bag of clothes Itachi had brought her and was surprised when she sat up again to see a blonde haired man standing in the doorway. He appeared to be in his early twenties and she smiled warmly at him when she noticed he was staring at her with a concerned look in his bright blue eyes.

"May I help you?" Hinata offered with a smile and motioned gently with her hand for him to enter the room.

He took a few steps into the room and his eyes clouded over with guilt as he looked at her in the hospital bed. His voice was rough with emotion as he introduced himself, "My name is Naruto and… I was driving the truck that hit you. I've been wanting to come see you and apologize, but I had to drive to Miami and I haven't been able to see you until now."

Hinata waved off his apology with a sweet smile, "It's alright Naruto you don't need to apologize to me, it was my fault. I was the one who stepped in front of you, so I don't blame you at all."

At her kind words, Naruto felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. When it had happened last week he had felt like he had lived through one of his worst nightmares. All week long he had been tortured by vivid memories and seeing a speck of blue as the young boy stepped into the street and then a flash of light and red and black hair as the young woman had pulled the boy to safety. He had desperately tried to stop in time but the weight of his truck made stopping quickly nearly impossible. He had a feeling he was never going to forget the thumping sound he had heard when he hit her or the way she had flown through the air before she hit the ground.

He was so grateful to hear she was going to be okay, he felt a little choked up and needed a moment to compose himself. "Thanks, I needed to hear that from you," Naruto told her with eyes that were suspiciously moist with tears.

Anxious to put him at his ease, Hinata patted the chair next to her bed inviting him to sit and talk to her. Naruto immediately moved to join her and as he sat down next to her his eyes drifted over her with a bewildered look in them.

"When I checked in at the front desk they told me you are going to be discharged today. I saw your injuries at the accident scene and I am surprised they are letting you go home so soon?"

Hinata sighed a little as she has had to explain her rapid healing about a hundred times by now, "I guess I am just a quick healer."

Naruto snorted with a loud laugh, "It's more like a miracle in my book. You were in really bad shape when they first brought you in here."

"Well, I am still a little weak, I will just have to take it easy after I leave for a few more days."

Naruto looked around the room noting the absence of family members before his eyes met hers again, "D'ya have someone to drive you home after you are discharged?"

Hinata shook her head sadly, "No."

"Well, I can drive ya – just tell me where you need to go," he told her with all of the eagerness of a puppy dog as he was prepared to do just about anything to make amends for putting her in here in the first place.

"Thank you," She murmured quietly as she began to consider asking him to help her find a place to stay.

After several moments of silence even Naruto, who was not the brightest bulb in the bunch, could tell something was wrong by how quiet and worried she looked.

"What is your name?" He asked her ending the awkward silence between them.

"Hinata," she responded and then gave him a soft smile. She could tell he really was the nicest person. The brightness of his aura and the honesty that shone in his blue eyes made her feel like she could trust him.

He leaned closer to her and gave her a compassionate look before he asked, "Do you have somewhere to live?"

She breathed out a long drawn out sigh, "No, I don't."

Naruto thought for only a moment before he gave her a sunny grin, "Well, you can come live with me."

Hinata thought he was sweet, but wasn't quite sure what kind of living arrangement he was offering her and a flash of uncertainty showed in her eyes as she considered his offer and looked at him.

Naruto shook his head with large eyes when he figured out the reason for her hesitation and cleared his throat noisily before he explained, "I have a spare bedroom and I am hardly ever there at my apartment because I am on the road driving all of the time. You would just have to pay half of the rent and the utilities."

An awkward blush slid over her cheeks and she grinned and felt a whole lot better about considering the arrangement.

Naruto's hand slid over hers as he pressed, "So, what do you say - do you want to come stay with me?"

"That will not be necessary, I have made arrangements for her to recover at my house," Itachi said in a cool voice from the doorway as he surveyed the scene in front of him with distaste.

Something about the way the young man smiled at her made his chest begin to tighten with unfamiliar emotions. He could tell by looking at him that the guy liked her for more than just a room-mate. Itachi's eyes began to darken and almost involuntarily his hand balled up into a fist at his side.

Hinata sat there in her hospital bed almost motionless still slightly in shock that he had returned and because he looked so angry she didn't know what to say to him.

Still, he was back and she couldn't help but feel glad, even if he was still put out with her. Hinata's eyes drank in the sight of him with relief.

"Hey, I'm the one who ran over her - she should come home with me!" Naruto argued loudly as he stood between Hinata and Itachi.

"My lawyer has already contacted your trucking company and we have taken full responsibility for all of her hospital bills and care, so your assistance is not required." Itachi explained impassively and knew he had the upper hand in this situation.

Naruto's shoulders drooped slightly as he looked over at Hinata with still slightly defiant eyes because if she didn't want to go with the rich bastard then he was ready to go to hell and back to keep it from happening.

"Hinata, what do you want to do?" He asked her with searching eyes as he took her hand in his.

She took a deep breath as her eyes darted from him then over to Itachi and she felt like crying because she could already tell she was going to hurt Naruto's feelings with her answer.

But she knew the moment Itachi came back there was never any doubt where she needed to go because Naruto was like a little ball of sunshine and would attract people to him with no problems, whereas Itachi was a introvert who kept himself at a distance from people, he was the one who needed her more…

Itachi's eyes were slightly anxious as he watched her make her decision. In his mind he had already decided that no matter what she was not going home with that guy. She was his responsibility and no one else's.

His eyes drifted over Hinata's face and he really couldn't blame the poor guy for falling under her spell already, she really was exceptional. The luminous way innocence and purity sparkled like raindrops in her eyes; he didn't think any man was capable of remaining unmoved by such a look from her. Not him, not anyone. She had even gotten through to his total bastard of a lawyer and Kisame was suspicious as hell about all women and didn't trust them any further than he could throw them.

Itachi was very impressed by the text he had received from him. If Kisame was willing to plot against him in favor of her then maybe he had been hasty in thinking she was deceptive and a liar. Kisame was the one person he trusted implicitly to always have his best interests at heart and he would have found a way to get her to sign that form if he felt he really needed her to sign it.

But he didn't, so he knew Kisame trusted her and believed she was not out to harm him. At the end of the text his lawyer admitted like him, he didn't believe her story about being an angel but he didn't feel she was any threat to him.

So, after spending an insanely long night where he couldn't get the anxious parting look she had given him out of his mind, he was willing to latch onto any excuse, no matter how flimsy, to see her again.

His excuse to have her sign the release form was weak but it was one that salvaged his pride so he decided to go see her one last time and personally help her get settled. That had been his original plan but it had all changed when he saw this guy making moves on her…

"I will go with him for now, thank you Naruto," she told him softly her eyes were grateful as smiled at him.

Naruto shot a dark glare at Itachi before looking back at her and speaking in an undertone, "Are you sure you can trust him, Hinata? He seems like a real jerk to me."

Hinata's eyes glanced over at Itachi who was in the process of answering his cell phone. "He has been very good to me since I have been in here and has paid for all of my hospital bills. I will be fine with him, he is an honorable man," she reassured him in a quiet voice.

Naruto scowled behind Itachi's back as he stepped out of the room for a moment and grouched, "I still think he is a jerk."

He took out a small pad of paper and wrote his name and number down for her along with his address and handed it to her, "If you need anything at all, call me."

Hinata felt like hugging him for being so nice to her and the concern she heard in his voice, she wrapped her hand around his before tucking the piece of paper in to her pocket.

"Thank you Naruto."

He stood up to go and gave her a sad look as he could tell by the way her eyes kept drifting towards the door that he was too late with her, if only he had met her sooner…before Mr. Asshole-Moneybags did.

"Goodbye Hinata and good luck."

"Goodbye Naruto and good luck to you too," she said with a bright wave as she felt like she had made another friend. Her eyes kept shifting anxiously toward the door like she was afraid Itachi wasn't coming back.

As Naruto walked out the door he bumped Itachi with his shoulder on purpose as he walked past him, "You are one lucky bastard, you had better treat her right," he warned with a glare.

Itachi nodded coolly before turning away from him and resumed his conversation with his accountant.

Naruto shook his head thinking that life was pretty unfair before turning around and walking away down the long hallway.

* * *

While Itachi had been out in the hallway, Hinata realized she needed to get dressed so she carefully climbed out of bed and still felt a little wobbly as she walked towards the bathroom. It was times like these where she really missed her wings, flying was so much easier than walking.

Once inside the bathroom she brushed her teeth and used a scrunchie to put up her long hair. After sitting down on the toilet she pulled out the clothes from inside the little duffle bag and was a little alarmed at how risqué they were.

She couldn't possibly go outside dressed in clothes like these!

Lifting up one of the high heel sandals she was sure she was going to break her neck if she tried to wear them but she realized she had no choice. All of the clothes the girl had been wearing before the accident had been destroyed and the only thing that wasn't ripped or torn was the little angel pin the girl had been wearing on her lapel.

Hinata sighed as she rifled through the small duffel bag and pulled something she learned from all of the television she had watched was a thong.

She slid one leg through it and a blush warmed her cheeks as she wondered what type of woman would willingly wear such an outrageous garment. It rode on her hips and accentuated her long legs.

Next came the hot pink bra that had a label on it from the store Victoria's Secret. Her face grew even hotter as she remembered flying through the mall and seeing that store, it was the kind of store that sold slinky lingerie that made men think impure thoughts.

_Oh heavens. _

Having no choice but to wear the revealing push up bra, she wrapped it around her and struggled a bit before she learned how to clasp it behind her. As she examined herself in the mirror she noted it was a little small for her and the tops of her ample breasts were practically pushed all of the way up to her chin.

"Oh dear!" She groaned out-loud in embarrassment when she put on the jeans and saw they hugged her hips and body so tightly it was like they were another set of skin. She sat down in them and was glad when she found they were slightly stretchy, at least this way she could sit in them.

Last of all she put on the stiletto heels and the only thing she liked about wearing the dangerous shoes was that they made her feel tall in them. But even that little benefit couldn't make up for the fact that she probably wasn't very good at walking in them.

_Oh heavens_, she thought as she took a deep breath and placed her hand on the doorway and turned the knob…

Itachi watched as she walked out of the bathroom and felt his jaw hit the floor in shock. It turned out Hinata's body was just as attractive as the rest of her. He hadn't noticed before because she had always been under the covers and in a hospital gown and before that a full body cast. Before he could stop himself, his eyes drifted over her soft bosom and down her bare midriff and he felt like adjusting his collar. Suddenly it was like someone had cranked up the heat in the room.

_Damn it_, he swore to himself as he wondered what was Sakura thinking loaning her revealing clothes like that. Besides it was winter time and she had to be freezing in that skimpy outfit.

"Here Hinata, you can wear my coat," he offered as he moved to take off his jacket to cover her up while at the same time Hinata took a step towards him. Suddenly she slipped on the linoleum and began sliding towards him, he rushed to grab her and somehow their legs got twisted and she landed right on top him with a loud "oompf," almost knocking the air out of him.

For a moment the only thing you could hear in the room was the sound of their loud breathing.

Itachi's eyes snapped open and he felt like an idiot lying as he stared at the ceiling tiles from his view on the floor, but at least he was glad he had kept her from getting injured. She moved against him and his eyes shifted toward her face as it hovered over his and he noticed her lush chest was crushed up against him. And her legs all were still tangled up with his and unexpectedly he felt a surge of lust rocket through him like pure adrenaline.

He released a shallow breath and tried to stop his body from acting like a callow fifteen-year old teen-age boy.

"I'm sorry," Hinata apologized as she looked down at him and her eyes met his. A blush rushed over her face and she felt a little dazed because she couldn't recognize that glittering look in his eyes. It almost seemed like he was hungry but she couldn't tell. She moved to get off of him but at the last minute she couldn't resist the urge to place her face against his chest just once. He was so warm underneath her and smelled so good it made her want to stay where she was for just a moment longer.

Hinata lowered her face against his chest and the fine fabric of his shirt felt wonderfully soft against her face and the bare skin of her stomach. And the smell of him delighted her senses making her think of fresh sea-air and soap.

"Are you alright?" Itachi asked her when she didn't make a move to get up off of him right away. He closed his eyes almost as if in pain and realized if she didn't get off of him right away, she was going to feel something very awkward, very soon.

"Yes, I'm fine…" she said with apologetic eyes and was going to mention she was used to flying instead of walking when she realized that would probably start another argument between them. Because she had a sinking suspicion that even though he came back today it didn't mean he believed that she used to be an angel.

She quickly pulled herself off of him and sat herself down carefully on the bed.

Itachi got himself off of the floor and examined her for any signs of injury. "You are still weak aren't you?"

Hinata nodded and was glad she wasn't technically lying; she was still a little weak.

Itachi eyes gazed at her as she sat on the bed and her sleek long legs and realized he was thinking improper thoughts about her again – and was surprised by it.

In his life he had been around many women much more beautiful than her, he had no idea why he was so attracted to her, and he wasn't too happy about it.

He decided to forget this little incident ever happened.

"I will go get you a wheel chair and have my driver come get the rest of your things. And Hinata, do us both a favor and take those shoes off before you fall again."

Hinata almost flinched at his sharp tone and watched him walk out of the room, she sighed as she took the sandals off her already sore feet.

It took Itachi about fifteen minutes to get her discharged and find someone with a wheelchair when he came back to the room he saw she was already dozing on the bed. As he picked her up in the chair he kept his eyes carefully averted and directed his driver to gather the rest of her belongings.

While he was setting her in the chair she stirred and said in a sleepy voice, "Don't forget the angel pin please, I left it in the bathroom."

Itachi ordered his driver to retrieve it and his face grew stony as he was not about to listen to any more foolish talk about her past as an angel.

With that settled in his mind, he began to wheel her out of the room and out the double doors to his limo.

**Author's Note:** I apologize to all of you for not updating sooner. Also, I really struggled with this chapter because over the past week I have been so busy I haven't really had any decent blocks of time in which to write and gather my thoughts about a story. So, I am sorry if this chapter isn't as readable as the previous ones…I just wanted to get something out for you guys. I hope you are all enjoying the season…I will try to get another chapter out in a few days.


	6. Chapter 6

**Christmas Miracle**

**~6~**

* * *

Waking up slowly from a deep sleep where her bed was so plush and comfy it felt like she had been sleeping on a cloud, Hinata cracked her eyes open tentatively and saw from the dimly lit room it was fairly late in the afternoon. A small smile touched her lips after she realized she must be at Itachi's house because the last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the limo.

Snuggling down deeper under the warm covers Hinata felt remarkably relaxed and content, grateful that he had come back for her and she would have at least have a chance to complete her assignment.

A memory of Itachi glaring at her flashed in her mind forcing her to admit to herself that her chances of teaching him anything were slim to none but at least she was going to try her best.

Hinata moved her foot and when it kicked something solid at the foot of her bed, she grew curious and sat up on a bent elbow to investigate.

It only took her a moment to realize who it was and her heart melted at the sight of him.

_Aww Jonas._

His eyes were closed and she could tell by the sound of his even breathing he was sleeping. She watched him for a few moments while he slept and couldn't help noticing just how much he looked like Itachi with his black hair and pale skin he could practically be his son.

A happy smile grew over her face when she saw he was waking up, Hinata just adored children.

His eyes opened slowly and a little smile just touched his lips when he saw she was finally awake. He had waited for a long time for her to wake up and come down stairs after arriving home from school. But after an hour of waiting he grew impatient and crept into her room and when she wouldn't wake up he climbed onto the end of her bed and took a nap. He had a long day at school and was really tired.

"Hi," the little boy said after sitting up and rubbing his fists over his sleepy eyes. "I'm Jonas."

"Hi Jonas," Hinata responded lightly before introducing herself to him. "I'm Hinata."

"I know," the little boy with a cry as his onyx eyes darkened with shame, his eyes were wet with tears as he looked up at her, "I'm sorry you got hurt, I didn't mean to be bad, honest I didn't…but, mommy says it is all my fault you got hurt."

Hinata's heart wrenched at the anguish she heard in the little boy's voice so she hugged him to her and whispered soothingly, "Shh, it's alright," and leaned back away from him so he could see her. "I'm fine and all better now…see," she said and waved her hand over herself to prove it.

Jonas's eyes were large and searching as he watched her smile at him, he sniffled a few times and began drying his tears when he realized that she wasn't lying to him - she really was fine. "I'm glad," he said in a small voice and looked more solemn than any five she old she had ever seen before when he said, "Uncle Itachi told me I am never to run out into the street like that again."

"He is right," Hinata said almost sternly and for once was in complete agreement with Itachi. Jonas's careless action could have killed him. Still, she couldn't stop an impish smile from touching her lips when she asked her next question.

"Did you get what you were chasing after?"

Jonas sucked in his breath as he stared at her in shocked wonder at how she knew about it. "Yes," he offered hesitantly as he fidgeted and rolled up the front of his t-shirt in his hands.

"I'm glad," Hinata told him gently before she reached out with her hand and ruffled his hair.

Jonas giggled and wondered if he could trust her with his secret. His mother and his uncle whom he loved more than anyone else didn't believe him, so he was a little scared to ask her too. His eyes searched hers and somehow he just knew he could trust her, she seemed different than most adults he knew.

"Do…you believe in…angels?" He asked almost in a whisper and lowered his eyes and stared at his hands.

"Of course I do."

"You do!" Jonas whispered in a stunned voice as he lifted his eyes back toward hers.

Hinata smiled and nodded emphatically, "They are very real in fact, I used…"

"Jonas, it is time for dinner," Itachi interrupted her abruptly as he stood in the doorway, his eyes were disapproving as they stared into hers.

Hinata looked back at him sadly as she now knew for sure he didn't believe her story. He still thought she was lying. She looked away from him and took a deep breath knowing that she had her work cut out with him.

Itachi turned away from her and addressed his nephew, "Go wash up for dinner and tell Mrs. Green to go ahead and begin serving the food. Miss Hinata and I will be down in a moment."

"Okay," Jonas said with a long sigh and shared a look with Hinata before jumping off the bed and exiting the room.

Itachi waited a few moments before his nephew was out of ear shot before he spoke to her.

"I would appreciate it if you would not share your story with him, he already has his head filled with this angel nonsense and I don't need you adding to it."

Hinata eyes were firm and a little pleading as she defended her race. "He is not wrong, angels do exist - I really was one."

Itachi released a harsh sigh and his eyes became even colder as he stared at her, "So, you are still sticking to that story are you?"

She raised her chin a fraction and refused to wither under the coolness of his glare, "Yes, because it is true."

His eyes were slightly mocking as his mouth tugged into a reluctant grin at her show of persistence, "Well, you and I have a difference of opinion on this issue and if we are going to come to some sort of amicable arrangement I suggest you drop the subject while staying in my home."

Hinata lowered her eyes and was forced to agree with him to some degree, but she was also very frustrated by his refusal to believe her. Heaven help her but he was such a hardened soul and stubborn man. Even though she wanted to prove to him she wasn't lying she also knew that alienating him would not help her achieve her goal.

Lifting her eyes upwards as though praying for patience, she just hoped all of her years in heaven earned her a small bit of divine help, because she was really going to need it.

"I understand," Hinata responded softly with a docile smile deciding for the time being it was just best for her to go along with his rules to keep the peace. She looked at him with eyes filled with innocence.

Itachi eyed her response a little suspiciously; she had given in too easily and it made him think she had a hidden agenda just like all of the other women he had ever met. They all wanted something from him and probably she did too. Women were all the same…even her.

The thought made him feel slightly depressed.

Itachi shrugged off the unwelcome emotion and just in case she had any misconceptions regarding her presence in his home he decided to make it abundantly clear that it was only temporary.

Striding over towards the door he flipped on the light so they could see each other better. In hindsight, he wished he had kept the light off when he saw how adorably mussed she looked with her long dark hair all softly tangled around her face. And as she sat above the blankets he could clearly see her chest straining against the low cut blouse Sakura had lent her.

And those luminous gray eyes of hers, he felt himself begin to get lost in them…again.

Itachi cleared his throat before he began, "The doctor has ordered that you take it easy for the next few days and during that time I will begin making arrangements for you to find employment and a permanent place to stay."

Hinata bit her lip to hide her alarm at the news; she wasn't going to have much time with him. She had been hoping to at least stay with him through the holidays.

She sighed and forced a cheerful smile to her lips when she looked up at him, "Thank you Itachi, I appreciate your help."

He nodded politely, "It is the least I can do in the situation." He turned away and stepped out of the room.

Thinking he had left the room to go down to dinner, Hinata slipped out of bed and felt uncomfortable once again in the skimpy jeans and blouse with her midriff bare, she wished she had more clothes with her to wear.

With a small sigh she turned to go into the bathroom to wash up for dinner. The clothes she was wearing now would just have to do until she could get a chance to buy new ones.

Itachi walked back into the room with a gray pair of his sweat pants and a sweat shirt folded up in his arms. After only taking a few steps inside the room he stopped at the sight of her in those slinky clothes.

And as though frozen in time he felt like he was rooted to the floor and hardly dared to even breathe as he stared at her. Sensing she was no longer alone, Hinata turned around to look at him and the light coming from the bathroom bathed her in a soft glow making her almost look like the angel she claimed to be.

A very sexy angel.

Hinata blushed and her eyes slid from his to the clothes he was holding for her and a sunny yet grateful smile spread over her face, "Are those clothes for me?"

Nodding his head slowly, Itachi was almost stupefied by the sheer wattage of the smile she had given him. _Damn_, he began to swear mentally when he felt sweat begin to bead up on his forehead as she moved closer to him.

"Oh thank you so much for bringing me something to wear," Hinata said happily and took the clothes out of his arms as he stood there nearly frozen. Still smiling at him she felt slightly disconcerted when her eyes met his and saw he was wearing that hungry look again as he gazed at her.

Maybe he was starving and she was keeping him from his dinner! She had been hungry a few times since becoming a human and she didn't like it at all. It was very uncomfortable.

_Poor man!_

Hinata flashed him an apologetic smile before turning and practically running towards the bathroom and spoke over her shoulder, "Go ahead and start dinner without me, I will be down in a moment."

Itachi sat down on the bed instead and decided to wait for her; she had been asleep when he had brought her here from the hospital. It would be bad manners for him to not at least show her where the dining room was.

A few minutes later Hinata opened the door and a small "oh," escaped her lips when she saw he was still waiting for her.

"I will escort you to the dining room," he told her politely before leaving the room.

Feeling more comfortable even though the clothes were too big for her, Hinata followed him out of the room and down the hallway. Happiness began to bubble up within her so she began to hum, "Deck the Halls." When they came to the top of the stairs and she could only stare out in awe at how enormous his apartment was.

She had always known he had money but she had no idea he was this rich. In order to afford a place like this he had to be almost obscenely wealthy.

Hinata watched him descend down the black colored stairway with the silver colored rails and as she followed behind him she felt like she was walking into a museum rather than someone's home.

Meandering down the huge staircase her eyes drifted over the wide open living room and the precious paintings on the wall. Her eyes noticed on either side of huge living room were smaller rooms and when she finally got to the bottom of the stairs she saw there were even more rooms on the other side of the stairway.

It was sleek, ultra modern and Hinata thought the apartment suited him perfectly. For some reason the place made her feeling like crying. It was so cold and polished; it didn't even feel like anyone lived there. The black marble floors gleamed brightly with polish and her eyes took in the empty mantle above the black fireplace and saw there was no greenery or holiday decorations anywhere.

Inside the dining room, Hinata heard Jonas giggle at something Itachi said to him and squared her shoulders with determination.

One way or another she was going to bring some Christmas joy into this house.

* * *

Dinner was uneventful and the adults were fairly silent as Jonas dominated the conversation as he rattled on happily about his day at school and his upcoming Christmas vacation. He was also super thrilled to be staying at his uncle's house instead of with his mother for a whole week.

His uncle was sort of strict but they always did fun things together like swimming and skating and Uncle Itachi always took him out for ice cream. Jonas especially liked it when his uncle would watch television with him.

And now Hinata was staying there and he felt like he had made an instant friend in her. Her eyes were so nice and kind and he found it was really easy to make her laugh and smile.

Unlike mommy and Uncle Itachi, they didn't smile very much and he was always being told by one of them to settle down and behave. He had a feeling Hinata wouldn't mind if he played too loud or jumped up and down. She didn't seem like most of the adults he knew.

She was different…she was happy.

"Jonas, say goodnight to Hinata. You need to take a bath and then I will read to you before you go to bed," Itachi directed him firmly.

"Okay Uncle Itachi," he responded glumly as he slid down from his seat, he had wanted to show Hinata his room and the angel feather he had found.

"Goodnight Jonas," she told him with an understanding smile. "I will see you tomorrow after school and we will hang out then."

The little boy grinned and then followed his uncle out of the room.

After they left, the room suddenly seemed quiet and Hinata felt a little lonely until Mrs. Green, the housekeeper, came in and began clearing away the dinner dishes.

"If you would like, Hinata, I could show you where the TV room is. It has a nice comfy couch and I can get you a blanket so you won't freeze while you watch television." Mrs. Green offered her kindly, she had been working for Itachi for years and had seen lots of women come and go but, this was the first time she actually liked one of them. And Hinata was the first woman he had invited into his home to stay for more than just one night.

The housekeeper knew the relationship was platonic between the two of them and of course she knew the whole story behind how they had met. She was extremely grateful Hinata had save little Jonas's life because she loved the boy like a grandson and knew if anything ever happened to the child it would probably destroy his uncle.

"Thank you, Mrs. Green, that sounds wonderful," Hinata told her with a little yawn as she stood up from the table, the huge dinner had made her feel a little sleepy. She looked at the housekeeper with apologetic eyes, "Do you need some help first?"

"No dear, thank you, you just run along. Mr. Uchiha says the doctor has ordered you take it easy for a few days," Mrs. Green said fondly and began guiding her to a room just off of the main living room. It was a spacious room with a large black leather couch and Mrs. Green pushed a button and a huge flat-screen television lowered down from the ceiling.

The housekeeper showed her how to use the remote and also brought her a cold drink and a nice warm blanket. Hinata's eyes shone with delight when Mrs. Green pushed a button and the fireplace in the corner of the room lit up giving the room a nice amber-colored glow.

"If you need anything else, just press the intercom button. I will be in the kitchen cleaning up." The middle aged woman told her before turning to leave.

"Thanks, Mrs. Green," Hinata said and was feeling pretty spoiled, she really didn't expect to be waited on like this. Angels were used to serving others, not being served. It made her feel strange but a little precious too.

As the housekeeper left the room, she smiled after hearing Hinata invite her to join her after she was done with her chores. She was actually going home for the night in a little bit. But she had a feeling Hinata wouldn't be alone for long. Itachi would probably end up in there eventually. All during dinner as she had served them she noticed he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Thrilled at the way things were developing between them already, Mrs. Green began humming Christmas songs as she cleared away the rest of the dinner dishes from the table.

* * *

Hinata flipped through the endless amount of channels and saw CSI Miami was coming on later. Changing the channel to the Sleuth Channel she found another show she thought looked pretty interesting it was called NCIS.

Soon she was laughing at Abby's quirky antics and Gibbs as he smacked Tony in the back of the head. A new episode had just come on when Itachi came into the room with his laptop and sat down in a big overstuffed leather chair beside the couch.

He didn't say a word to her as he opened his laptop and began typing away. His action was familiar and comfortable to her because he did the same thing while she was in the hospital. It seemed to her the guy never stopped working.

She just shrugged and had to be thankful he at least wasn't ignoring her completely. He could have done his work in his office down the hall if he really wanted to be alone.

"I know who did it," Itachi stated without even looking up from his laptop ten minutes later.

Hinata put her fingers in her ears and began singing childishly, "Lalalalala," because she didn't want to know who the murderer was yet. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his mouth quirk a little and could tell he was amused.

Feeling it was safe to do so; she took her fingers out of her ears and glued her eyes back onto the television. A few minutes later she couldn't resist peeking over in his direction.

"It was the lieutenant who claims he was visiting his mother when the murder took place," Itachi stated as he reached over beside him on a table and began reading over a spreadsheet.

"How could it be him, he was with his mother the whole time?" Hinata asked him with a puzzled expression on her face.

Itachi just shrugged and gave her a look that told her "you'll see" before turning his attention back to the spreadsheet in front of him.

Hinata watched the show and near the end she scrunched up her face and giggled before sending him a knowing and slightly accusing look after it was the lieutenant who was found to be the murderer. "How did you know it was him?" She had to ask as curiosity got the better of her.

"I could tell the mother was covering up for him right from the start and concluded that he had the most motive for killing the victim, because he was having an affair with the victim's wife."

She watched as he turned back to his laptop and began typing again. It dawned on her that he was excellent at figuring out when people were lying on television, how come he couldn't tell she was telling him the truth.

Hinata had to admit to herself that her story was pretty fantastical and most people probably wouldn't want to believe it. Part of her wished he was different from others and could actually believe her.

A yawn escaped her mouth and she decided should probably go to bed, it was getting late.

"I am going to go to bed now," she told him as she pulled back the thick blanket that was covering her and stood up.

"Goodnight," Itachi said without even looking up from his computer, as though he was completely engrossed in whatever he was working on.

"Goodnight Itachi," She replied with a slight frown before leaving the room.

After she left he turned and stared at the doorway she just walked through before running his hands through his hair. He knew he was playing with fire by spending time with her, but he couldn't resist the opportunity to join her.

He still didn't trust her, but he couldn't stop himself from liking her. She made him smile and a few of her comments tonight as she spoke out loud to the TV almost made him laugh.

But the voice of reason admonished him that he would be a fool to start a relationship with a woman who claimed she used to be an angel. Her story couldn't possibly be true.

And Itachi was no fool, after all his brother had been taken in by a woman and looked what had happened to him.

He set his computer off to the side and turned off the television and the fireplace and headed up to bed, determined to keep his distance from her while she stayed at his apartment…

**Author's Note:** I hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas season and I am truly enjoying this story because it is constantly reminding me as I get super busy with holiday stuff to focus on things that are truly important. Like friends and family. I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas, if time permits I will try to post another chapter for you over the weekend. Thanks for all of your comments, I really enjoyed reading them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Christmas Miracle**

**~7~**

* * *

**[Holiday timeline: Thursday, December 9, 2010]**

"Hinata, get in the car," Itachi ordered through the rolled down window in the backseat of his limo.

Standing on the sidewalk, surrounded by several women with baby strollers and holding a baby in her arms Hinata looked over his way and flashed him a jaunty wave and smile that never failed to turn his insides into mush.

Except for maybe today, for once he was not amused by her cheerfulness. She was supposed to be clothes shopping and had promised Mrs. Green she would be back home by noon and it was after two pm in the afternoon.

Jonas had come home from school and was looking for her and his frazzled housekeeper ended up calling him in a near panic. So, he left a very important and lucrative meeting to go look for her.

He watched her as she gave the baby back to one of the women after planting a soft kiss on the little one's cheek and after a couple more minutes of chatting with the women he deducted she was probably planning to meet up with all of them tomorrow.

Itachi released an irritated sigh as he noted typically Hinata made friends with people even faster than he made money – and as wealthy as he was that was saying something.

Not only that, his sharp eyes took in her empty hands as she walked toward the car and was not surprised to see she had been gone for over four hours and still hadn't bought a single item of clothing.

He had never met anyone more utterly impractical and idealistic than her; she absolutely had no sense of being on time and was overly generous to a fault. She wasn't just generous to people by talking and listening to them, he found out yesterday she had also in two days given away every penny he had given to her while she had been in the hospital. The amount was well over two thousand dollars.

Today he had tried to outsmart her and sent her out with a gift credit card with a limit of five hundred dollars on it and had made her promise not to give it away to anyone but use it to buy herself some clothes that she desperately needed. If Mrs. Green hadn't of bought her a few shirts and some jeans she would still be wearing his sweatpants and those clothes that Sakura had lent her.

He squelched down ruthlessly a shudder and unwelcome heat passing over him at the thought of her in those tight clothes.

Hinata interrupted his somewhat impure thoughts by opening the car door and climbing into the seat next to him. Looking all rosy and windblown in one of his warm black jackets she flashed him a blinding smile as she could tell by the set of his jaw that she was in trouble.

"Hi Itachi," she said brightly, "Isn't the weather simply beautiful today?"

He glanced out the car window and noted that the sun was shining before giving her a stern look. "Yes it is and you are late. You were supposed to be back home by noon and it is now after two p.m. Mrs. Green called me at work and asked me to go look for you."

"Oh no," Hinata groaned contritely and glanced at the watch Mrs. Green had given her to wear and sunk back in her seat when she saw he was right.

"I'm sorry…I lost track of time…_again_," she told him with a lopsided smile and was seriously beginning to dislike the whole earthly concept of time. Especially dealing with minutes and hours, because when she had been an angel she never had to worry about things like that - she could come and go as she pleased.

Sensing that she was trying his patience, Hinata quickly launched into a laughing yet brief account of her morning. "This morning was so glorious and the sun was shining… and on my way to go shopping, I met some women taking their babies to play at the park in the snow and they invited me to hang out with them… wasn't that nice of them?"

Itachi rolled his eyes in a long suffering manner before shifting them to her empty lap where bags of newly purchased clothing should be resting, "Yes, I suppose," he said agreeing with her unenthusiastically forcing himself to be patient with her. "So, I take it you never actually made it into any stores?"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't." Hinata responded softly and silently berated herself for allowing herself to get distracted from the errand he gave her to do this morning. She had promised him that she would go shopping but when she saw those little babies…they were just soo cute! She just had to hold one of them and talk to their mothers and before she knew it over two hours had passed.

Itachi watched the multitude of expressions pass over her face out of the corner of his eye and felt his irritation vanish as it always did when he was with her. She was just so kindhearted and nice he found no matter how much she annoyed him he couldn't stay mad at her.

Instead of getting frustrated with her he took out his cell phone and stunned his assistant, Shino, into silence by telling him he wasn't coming back to the office today and to cancel all of his meetings.

"Are you sick, sir?" Shino asked finally when he could speak again. He had been working with Itachi for over five years and the guy never took a day off except for weekends during that whole time period. As a boss, Mr. Uchiha was the epitome of a workaholic and didn't even give his employees holidays off because he figured if he had to work on those days then they should too.

"No Shino, I have to go shopping," Itachi responded blandly as his eyes glanced over in Hinata's direction who was fidgeting with the front of her shirt beside him when she felt his eyes on her she shot him a weak smile.

"Call me if anything important arises and I will deal with it then," Itachi told his assistant decisively before hanging up the phone and issuing her a sharp look telling her he was missing work all because of her.

"Um, you don't have to go with me… you can just drop me off at the mall," Hinata began to say a little defensively as she was feeling bad that he was taking time off from work to go shopping with her.

"I am going with you," he responded finally, letting her know this discussion was now at an end.

Hinata bit back a grimace and had a feeling things were going to get a little awkward between them, especially when she had to buy delicate items such as bras and panties.

"Are you sure? What if you get bored?" She tried one last time hoping to get him to drop her off.

Itachi stared at her for a moment before he answered her, "I never get bored."

The limo stopped and he opened the door. "After you," he told her and watched as she climbed out the car…

* * *

A few hours later she felt very uncharitable and did not care if he was bored, she just wanted to fly away and be free. Shopping with Itachi, she soon learned was a rigidly organized event that consisted of him writing out a painstakingly (and embarrassing) detailed list of all of the items she needed. Then after those items were purchased he marked them off, and they moved on to the next article of clothing on the list.

Hinata had tried to make the best of it and make the whole shopping experience fun by meeting people like she always did whenever she went out. But he had made it clear from the very beginning that having fun, or meeting people was not allowed, nor would it be tolerated.

Locking a determinedly cheerful smile on her face, Hinata wondered as they neared the end of his list at her supervisor's wisdom for giving her such an impossible assignment. The man was an utter control freak, and he was so strict she couldn't help but be reminded of her cousin Neji. Who was a very powerful arch-angel who never smiled and was always lecturing her about proper angel behavior.

Overhead on the mall's sound-system she heard the sounds of Christmas music playing and the song "The First Noel," begin to play and the words of the song encouraged her to keep trying. As an exiled angel, she considered it her sacred duty to keep trying.

A few hours later her shoulders began to droop as if they were being crushed down by heavy weights as she walked past some puppies in the pet store window. Her eyes drifted from the cute little puppies to his rigid back as he walked in front of her and knew by this point in the day what the answer was going to be so she didn't even bother to ask him if she could go look at them.

But as she glanced again at their cute little faces as they barked and wagged their tails she longed to hold just one of them and let it lick her face. Her eyes met Itachi's as he turned back towards her and she gave him a pleading look and her lower lip puckered out a little.

"No," Itachi told her unequivocally as he held the list in front of her face and pointed to next item on it. "We only have a few more things to buy and then we have to leave. I have a lot of work to do when I get home," he reminded her coolly.

Hinata nodded sadly before taking one last longing glance at the puppies in the window before following him into another store…

* * *

The puppy barked loudly at pedestrians through the limo's tinted window before licking her face. Laughing happily, Hinata hugged the tiny black Miniature Pinscher puppy as though her life depended on it and crinkled up her nose at the smell of his puppy breath.

"Oh Itachi, what do you think I should name him?" She asked him for the second time, making him look up from his laptop and glare at her. "Whatever you want," he replied unhelpfully before bending his head again over his laptop and getting back to work.

Too joyful to care that he was acting a little grumpy; Hinata held the little puppy up to the window and let it look outside while they drove down the road. She couldn't wait to show it to Jonas, knowing that he would probably come up with a great name for the little guy…

Hinata's eyes glanced from the puppy in her arms to Itachi as he read over some reports on his laptop, and couldn't help but think that there was hope for him yet…

**Author's Note:** I was going to delete this whole chapter and start over but I decided to post it anyway and get to work on the next chapter. So, just consider this a character development scene/filler. I will try to post again within a day or two. My goal is to finish this story before the end of January.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to review, this post is for all of you!


	8. Chapter 8

**Christmas Miracle**

**~8~**

* * *

[Holiday timeline: December 14, 2010]

"Hold the elevator!"

Itachi reached out quickly to push the button to close the doors but was too slow and he released a small breath when he saw a large hand shove through the double doors followed by his lawyer's big head and snarky smile.

"So, what's for dinner?"

"Not tonight, Kisame," came his friend's short reply.

"Why not?"

Itachi shot him a sideways glance, "because you have dined at my house three nights in a row."

"So," Kisame responded with a shrug and a gruff chuckle at his friend's ire.

"Why don't you have dinner at your home for a change?" Itachi advised coolly.

"Why should I? It's much more entertaining at your house."

Itachi couldn't argue with him there. With Hinata and Jonas staying at his house there was never a dull moment. His apartment was always full of the sound of laughter, making it actually feel like someone lived there instead of a beautiful museum. Over the past few nights he had even left the office early.

"Besides," Kisame said interrupting his friend's thoughts, "I have something I need to talk to Hinata about."

"Regarding what?" Itachi asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Kisame bit back a smirk as he felt the temperature in the elevator freeze a dozen or so degrees, "Relax, I am not going to ask her out or anything, unless you don't mind…?"

"Of course I mind," Itachi bit out.

"I knew it, you want her for yourself."

"Don't be absurd, she is merely staying at my house until an appropriate housing situation can be found for her," Itachi stated impassively and jerked open the door to the parking garage.

"Well, she can come live with me," Kisame offered with a lewd laugh.

"Shut up, Kisame," Itachi said as he strode through the door not even bothering to keep it open for his friend…

* * *

Standing outside the door of his penthouse apartment, Itachi could smell something wonderful for dinner was being cooked inside and he felt the cares of the day begin to melt away. He had skipped lunch to go to an important budget meeting and he was famished.

Mrs. Green was a marvelous cook and housekeeper and he didn't know what he would do without her. _I should give her a raise_, Itachi thought while punching in the code to unlock the door.

Kisame sniffed the air. "It smells like baked salmon and baby red potatoes, yum."

Itachi opened the door and didn't quite receive the welcome he was expecting as he was met by snarling teeth with black and tan hair standing straight up while it barked ferociously all around him.

"Down Buddy," Itachi commanded the tiny demon pup before adding under his breath. "This is my house, not yours."

In full territorial mode, Buddy ignored him and began spinning in circles while yapping continuously.

"Nice dog," Kisame muttered sarcastically as the puppy turned on him and bit onto his pant leg. Ignoring the little yapper, he followed Itachi into the main room dragging the puppy behind him like a damp mop.

Turning around the corner into the main living room they were met with screaming blurs who were sliding down the metal rail banister from the top of the stairway. Itachi and Kisame barely had time to put down their briefcases before they were plowed into by Hinata and Jonas as they flew off the edge of the rail.

"Oompf," Itachi exhaled as the breath was knocked out of him as she sent him backwards onto the hard floor, his body breaking her fall nicely.

While rubbing the back of his head a feeling of déjà vu crossed over him as he watched her long black hair float around her face that was just inches away from his as she lay along the length of him.

Her apologetic gaze peered down at him before a brilliant smile spread over her lips, "Welcome home, Itachi."

Unexpectedly touched by the sincerity of her greeting and still slightly dazed by the blow to his head he momentarily forgot the others in the room and could only stare at her.

"That was fun, Hinata!" Jonas said excitedly from his safe position in Kisame's arms, effectively breaking the spell they were under.

Kisame eyed them dissolutely as they lay on the floor staring at one another and mocked, "It does indeed look fun, Jonas."

Blushing, Hinata scrambled off of Itachi as though she had been lit on fire and reached down hesitantly to help him up. Accepting her outstretched hand calmly, Itachi stood up and immediately turned his attention onto his nephew as he straightened up to his full height. His eyes were solemn as he reprimanded him, "Jonas, you neglected to tell our guest that sliding down the banister is not allowed."

The little boy immediately looked contrite, especially because he didn't want to see his uncle get mad at Hinata and make her leave. He was hoping and praying in his childish mind that she would be able to live here forever. "I'm sorry Uncle Itachi."

"It was my fault, Itachi. I-I was the one who challenged him to a race," she blurted out, trying to keep the little boy out of trouble. Which was the truth, but Jonas had neglected to tell her that it was against the house rules that Itachi had set up.

"Who won?" Kisame whispered to Jonas before setting him down on the ground.

Jonas gave Hinata a conspiratorial glance before whispering back, "I think I did."

Out of the corner of her eye, Hinata winked at the little boy. Kisame met her eyes and chuckled.

Not missing any of the subtle byplays of the people around him, Itachi could feel his blood pressure rising, especially after Buddy started barking at him again.

"Come on Jonas," Kisame said while scooping up the territorial puppy. "Let's go take this little guy for a walk and give your Uncle Itachi a few moments to relax in peace."

Knowing his Uncle Kisame was helping him get out of a boring safety lecture; Jonas didn't need to be asked twice and began dragging his rescuer out of the room. "Okay, I will get my shoes on and show you the new collar and leash we bought for Buddy today."

Hinata was left alone with Itachi and tried to look as contrite as possible as he glared at her. She hated it when he was mad at her, his expression reminded her of Kurenai when she would berate her for messing up.

"You do realize he is only five years old?" He began firmly before adding, "I have warned him that sliding down the banister is prohibited."

Hinata tried to look serious, but ruined it when she began to giggle.

"What's so funny?"

Her luminous eyes were slightly amused when she confided in a whisper soft voice, "I don't want to get him in trouble or anything, but he told me he has been sliding down it for at least a year."

Itachi rolled his eyes in a long suffering manner and a stray thought hit him that Jonas was a lot like Sasuke was when he was a young boy. If someone told him not to do something he inevitably would do it anyway. His younger brother had been stubborn as hell.

"Thank you for letting me know," he said with a stiff nod.

"Sure," Hinata said softly as she looked up the stairwell and was still hoping to persuade him to allow Jonas to slide down it. "I still don't think it is all that dangerous. See, you can hook your leg around the handrail and it helps you stay on securely. Jonas taught me how to do that."

"I see, but you both could use a little work on your dismount and landing techniques," he responded dryly with very little humor.

Hinata blushed as she couldn't disagree with him and flashing through her mind was the recent memory what it was like to land on him.

Itachi sighed, "I will talk to him about it later. For now, I would appreciate it if he comes up with anymore dangerous ideas that you would at least make an attempt to dissuade him from it."

"Okay, I will," she promised and was seriously relieved he appeared to be letting the subject drop. With eyes full of gratitude she lifted them up to his with a friendly smile and froze when she saw he was standing perfectly still and was watching her.

Her breath caught in her throat and something in his expression made her feel strange almost warm inside and her pulse begin to race.

"Itachi?" she whispered unsteadily when she saw him move closer to her until he was standing just in front of her.

Reaching out his hand slowly so as not to startle her, he lightly traced the tips of his fingers over her flushed face. His eyes were warm, almost lazy as he mused, "Sometimes when the light touches your skin, it almost appears to be glowing."

"It does?" She asked in a high pitched voice and licked her bottom lip nervously.

"Yes, it does." The corner of his mouth turned up slightly at the innocence of her question and he bent his head so his face just hovered over hers. As though in a dreamlike state she leaned her head back slightly and her lips parted as his thumb slid back and forth over her lower lip with tantalizing slowness.

At the intimate feeling of his touch Hinata gasped and her luminous eyes grew wide. "I think I will go see if Mrs. Green needs any help setting the table," she said as she stepped away from him and was shocked at how unusually breathless her voice was.

Turning away from him slowly she walked toward the dining room in an almost dazed manner as she tried to absorb what had just happened between them over the past couple of minutes.

Itachi stared after her before heading into his room to change out of his work clothes and get cleaned up for dinner.

* * *

Dinner was uncharacteristically silent for once. Probably because the two men were extremely hungry and Mrs. Green had outdone herself and supper had turned out to be amazing.

Jonas pretty much dominated the conversation with school stuff and of course, Hinata's puppy. She had offered to share the dog with him, but he knew Buddy really belonged to her and when she moved out she would be taking him with her.

The thought made him really sad because she was by far the nicest adult he had ever met. And he could tell even his Uncle Itachi liked her because he had caught him watching her and smiling at her, and his uncle almost never smiled.

At least he never did before Hinata came to live here. So in his mind it was just one more reason why she should stay here permanently.

"I wish you didn't have to move out soon," he told her with sad eyes.

Across the table from the little boy she shared a look with him; he was just such a dear. "Aww thank you Jonas, you are so sweet."

Ignoring the amused look his lawyer was sending him from across the table, Itachi's eyes were firm as he spoke to his nephew. "Jonas, we have discussed this before and you know she cannot stay here forever. Just as soon as she finds a job and a place to live, Hinata will have to move out and live on her own."

As soon as he spoke the words an ominous sinking feeling hit him at the thought of her being on her own. She was simply too kind-hearted for her own good and would probably end up giving up all of her money and belongings to the first person who asked for help.

"Jonas, don't be sad, I am sure everything will work out fine," she told him soothingly and deep down was trying to believe it herself. Over the past few days she had enjoyed staying here so much with all of them that she had almost forgotten it was only temporary.

"Speaking of your future, Hinata… I have some important things I would like to discuss with you after dinner," Kisame mentioned before darting a quick glance over at Itachi.

Not rising to the bait, Itachi casually took a bite of his salmon and then sipped his wine.

"Alright Kisame, I will meet with you after Jonas and I help Mrs. Green clear the table," Hinata said as she stood up from the table and began clearing her dishes and carried them toward the kitchen.

"You may use my office," Itachi offered in a cool voice before standing up and clearing his dishes from the table.

"Uncle Itachi looks mad," Jonas remarked with unusual astuteness for a five year old.

Kisame just smirked and thought his friend was being an ass…

* * *

Itachi's lips tightened when he heard laughter coming out of his office. He was just about to go in there and check on them when he felt his cell phone begin to vibrate in his pocket.

Pulling it out and looking at the screen his stomach clenched with nausea when he saw the name on the screen. It was Sakura.

_She is supposed to arrive home tomorrow _he mentally noted just before he answered the call from her.

"Hi Itachi, how are you?" Sakura said nonchalantly over the phone not even bothering to ask to talk to her son.

"What do you want?"

"Polite as ever I see," his sister-in-law mocked. After a few moments of stony silence from him Sakura finally got to the point. "I have decided to stay in Paris through Christmas so you will need to deposit some more cash into my bank account and keep Jonas a little longer."

"I have given you more than enough," he told her before hanging up the phone. He knew he would only be wasting his breath if he tried to remind her that her place was with her child during the holidays. Instead she was probably slutting her way around Paris trying to find a rich husband, since he wasn't available and never would be.

He turned to go find Jonas and explain to him that his mother wasn't coming back home for Christmas when it dawned on him that he always worked on those days. Sakura and her vacation had put him in a bind because he would either have to work and disappoint his nephew or take those days off.

Breathing out in irritation, he knew he had no choice but to take the 24th and 25th of December off.

A small shudder passed through him at the thought of having to celebrate the holiday in the traditional manner just like he and Sasuke did as children. Somehow he would have to get through it but part of him was tempted to get his nephew's selfish bitch of a mother back on the phone and bribe her to come back early.

* * *

"So Hinata," Kisame said after they had chatted for several minutes about unimportant things. "I wanted to let you know I have had you investigated you by every agency I can think of and none of them can find any records of you ever being born."

She smiled hopefully, "So, do you believe me now?"

"I'm sorry Hinata," the lawyer replied quietly. Her story was still just too hard for him to believe. "There are just too many other things that could have happened to your records to explain why they don't exist."

"Such as...I never had any to begin with," she exclaimed with an edge of frustration in her voice. Her shoulders slumped as she sat and looked at him from her seat next to his.

"Well as a lawyer, I have to stay objective about the situation and I have called upon a friend of mine in the State Department in Washington D.C and have him working on getting you a visa," he said as he put some official looking copies of documents into her hands.

"Now these are only temporary and will help you from being deported out of the country but probably would not help you find employment or have access to any other services. It will take a few more weeks before the official documents are approved so you will have to continue to stay with Itachi until that happens because I have listed him as your sponsor."

Surprised at all of the trouble he had went through to help her, Hinata scanned the documents and her eyes automatically slipped to the box that contained her last name and and date of birth and read off…

Hyuuga, Hinata born December 27, 1989.

"Hinata Hyuuga," she read off slowly and found the name suited her and made her feel less of an alien in a foreign land. Her eyes were suspiciously damp as she slid out of her chair and gave Kisame a big hug.

"Thank you, Kisame."

"You're welcome, Hinata," he replied as he hugged her back. "You can consider it an early Christmas present from me."

"It feels good to have a last name," Hinata said a little in wonder. She had been through some very awkward moments over the past few weeks as a human whenever anyone asked her for a last name and now she no longer had to worry about it.

She looked over at Kisame and saw he was watching her with a considering look on his face.

"Did you have something else you wanted to speak to me about?"

He smiled, "Yes, actually I do." His eyes glanced over toward the doorway before they shifted back onto her. "There is a Christmas party coming up at the Governor's mansion this weekend and I was wondering if you would like to come with me, as my date?"

Hinata blushed and was about to give him her answer when Itachi stepped through the doorway and answered for her.

"Find yourself someone else, Kisame, she is going to attend the party with me..."

**Author's Note:** I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I am really looking forward to the next one as I have had it in my head for some time. Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of time to proof it, so I apologize if there are a lot of mistakes. Just a quick thought, I based the puppy on one of my Miniature Pinschers at home. Buddy is crazy and anyone who comes to our front door is met with insanely territorial barking and barred teeth. Taisha is our female min pin and she is even worse than he is. Especially if you go to wake her up when she is getting her beauty rest...ha ha.

Thanks so much for all of the reviews, I enjoyed reading them:)


	9. Chapter 9

**Christmas Miracle**

**~9~**

* * *

[Holiday timeline: December 16, 2010 (Thursday)]

His eyes scanned over the memo one last time before he hit send and knew within fifteen minutes the news was going to hit the building through the internal grapevine like wildfire.

All employees were to have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off with pay this year. If anyone wanted to work on those days they would receive time and half pay.

Itachi took a drink of water and knew this was going to make his employees very happy. Because in the past five years if they wanted those days off, they were required to use their own personal vacation time, which angered a lot of people.

"Sir, the video-conference call with the Laotians is scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes." He heard the voice of his personal assistant, Shino, tell him over the intercom.

"Thank you for the reminder," Itachi replied and pulling out the meeting file on them he saw that everything appeared to be in order. This conference call was mainly to finalize the deal.

"…and the interpreter?"

"He should be here any minute, sir," Shino responded efficiently and pushed the intercom button to end the call because he knew no other details would be needed or wanted by his boss.

Itachi looked over his desk and was fairly pleased; several lucrative deals had been completed over the last few weeks and for once they were experiencing a bit of a slow-down. The past year had been exceptionally profitable in that while other companies were struggling financially, he and his shareholders had acted with remarkable foresight and had been well prepared for the global banking crisis and credit crunch. So that when the financial melt-down happened earlier in the year, his company had made a fortune lending out money to other businesses when the banks were short on cash flow and didn't have any to lend.

His business was doing so well that taking time off during Christmas may not be such a bad thing for him to do after all. His mind turned toward sharing the holidays with Hinata and Jonas he felt almost…happy about it.

* * *

"May, I help you?" The receptionist asked them with a polite smile from behind the elegant black granite desk.

Feeling a little out of place in jeans, a pink t-shirt and a hoody in the imposingly modern black marble and chrome lobby that served as the entrance into Itachi's workplace, Hinata stepped forward a little hesitantly.

"Could you please tell us how to get to Itachi Uchiha's office?"

The receptionist's polite smile almost slipped when she heard who they wanted to see. Her eyes looked them over and her politeness evaporated a tad, "Do you have an appointment?"

Hinata looked at Jonas who shrugged because he didn't even know what an appointment was; he just wanted to see his uncle. "Um no, I don't think so."

The lady's polished demeanor became even chillier as she stared down her nose at them, "Well, I am sorry, but you will just have to come back some other time, AFTER you have made an appointment."

Disappointed she wasn't going to be able to see him and where he worked; Hinata turned to Jonas and knelt down next to him when she saw his face was beginning to grow a little stormy.

"Shh, it's alright," Hinata said soothingly. "We can see him later tonight after he gets home."

The little boy's bottom lip trembled, "But, I wanted to tell him all about the new trick I taught Buddy and…"

"Hey Jonas, whatcha been up to?" The white-haired Chief of Security asked when he spotted him after walking through the main doors of the building.

"Mr. Kakashi!" Jonas yelled happily before racing over to him.

The security officer bent over and groaned exaggeratedly as he lifted him up. "You have really gotten big since I saw you over the summer."

Jonas nodded with a grin and held up five fingers. "I'm five now!"

Kakashi gave him an impressed look before asking, "So big guy, what brings you here?"

The little boy eyes darted over toward the lady behind the desk and he frowned, "Hinata and I came to see Uncle Itachi, but the lady won't let us see him."

"Uncle Itachi," the receptionist repeated weakly and she looked to Kakashi to confirm it.

At his nod, she took a closer look at the dark-haired boy and her eyes opened wide when she finally recognized him. "I'm sorry young man; I didn't recognize you without your mother with you."

Flustered, the receptionist picked up the phone to alert Mr. Uchiha's assistant that he had visitors. Trying to make up for her previous mistake, her eyes were politely questioning as they looked towards Hinata, "…and you are?"

Jonas answered for her, "Oh that's Hinata, she's staying at his house right now and she watches over me sometimes."

At his innocent words, Hinata found herself to be the object of some very interested scrutiny.

"Um hi," she said with nervous smile and wave of her fingers.

"Claire, don't worry about calling up there, I will escort them to his office," Kakashi said to the receptionist as he began leading the visitors over to the main elevator. Tears all gone, Jonas began chattering non-stop about their new puppy.

As soon as the elevator doors closed behind them, the receptionist made a phone call to one of her friends in accounting. On her face, she wore the smug smile of someone who had some incredibly juicy gossip to share.

She was really going to enjoy this call because her friend, Andrea, had been bragging lately to everyone that she had met Mr. Uchiha in the elevator a few weeks ago and he had seemed to be interested in her.

"Andrea," she said urgently as she practically whispered into the phone. "You'll never guess who just went up to see the boss…I have a feeling _she_ is the reason behind the memo he sent out this morning…"

* * *

The elevator opened up on the top floor and Hinata and Kakashi followed Jonas out as he ran excitedly ahead of them touching all of the glossily-affluent black doors as he went along leaving messy finger prints and streaks behind.

Hinata shared an amused look with Kakashi as they followed Jonas towards the impressive-looking double doors at the end of the hall. There was no name plate over the doors, like the other offices had. But the location and the sheer commanding size of them meant this office could only belong to the boss.

"That's Uncle Itachi's office," Jonas said to Hinata as he pointed toward it with five-year old pride because he knew where it was located. He started running when he saw his uncle emerge from the office.

"Uncle Itachi!" Jonas yelled before barreling into him and wrapping his arms around him in a bear hug. His uncle immediately scooped him up into his arms.

"Jonas," Itachi uttered mildly before lifting his eyes down the long hallway toward Hinata and his white-haired Chief of Security, Kakashi.

"I found these two loitering in the lobby downstairs and I decided to bring them up to you," Kakashi said with a teasing grin directed at Jonas.

"I appreciate it," Itachi responded evenly before his eyes immediately gravitated towards Hinata and before he could stop it from happening the corners of his mouth began to lift into a smile. Strangely enough he had just been thinking about her and then suddenly she was right in front of him.

"Hello, Itachi," Hinata said brightly with a wave. "I'm sorry if we are interrupting you, your driver pointed out your building and Jonas really wanted to see you."

"Uh huh," Jonas said with a grin, "Uncle Itachi do you want to go with us to the park?"

Itachi consulted his watch, "I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes but after that my schedule is clear for the rest of the day."

Itachi set Jonas down and was going to have him and Hinata wait in his office until the meeting was over when Shino came running out of his office in a near panic. Not used to seeing his usually unflappable assistant in such a state he shot him a questioning look.

"Sir, the meeting with the Laotians starts in two minutes and the interpreter just called and said he is stuck in traffic and estimates it will be at least an hour before he can make it here."

Itachi released an irritated breath. This meeting was very important and it had taken several weeks of planning and coordination to bring it all together. The Laotian ambassador to the US was one of the people attending the conference call and it would probably take weeks to reschedule it.

"I can speak Laotian," Hinata volunteered in a cheerful voice trying to be helpful.

Itachi looked at her skeptically, while Shino looked at her like she was a godsend.

"Are you fluent?" Shino asked her and looked at his watch one more time.

Hinata rattled off an account of her morning fluently in Lao and before she was done, Shino (who never smiles) gave her a small relieved smile.

"I will keep an eye on Jonas until the meeting is done," Kakashi said and reached down and offered his hand to the little boy. "How about you come work with me, I will let you use one of my radios."

"Really? Awesome," Jonas breathed out as he began to walk down the long hallway toward the elevator.

Hinata smiled as she watched them walk away knowing that Jonas would be in good hands, the security guard seemed really nice.

Itachi frowned as he looked at her and wondered how someone of her background could be fluent in another language. But with her he was beginning to get used to being surprised.

As they began to follow Shino towards the teleconference room he decided to put his questions on hold and give her instructions about her role in the meeting.

"I know a little bit of the language but not enough to conduct the meeting. I will need you to translate my offer to them and give me their response," he explained to her. "We have mostly concluded a great deal of our business with them already through our company's representatives; so today's meeting is mainly a formality. Because it is customary in their culture to see a person's face before they sign anything."

"Alright Itachi," Hinata responded a little nervously. She just hoped she didn't mess things up, like every other job she had ever done.

Before they entered the conference, Itachi placed his hand on her shoulder and looked at her with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Hinata."

At his words and the look of confidence in his eyes she felt her heart begin to swell and her resolve to help him grow. Itachi was counting on her, so there was no way she was going to let him down.

"I will do my best," she promised before smoothing down her hair and entering the office…

* * *

"Kop jai lai lai," (Thank you very much) Mr. Bouphasiri said with a small bow and a smile directed at Hinata when their business was concluded. "You have honest eyes, Miss Hyuuga," he told her in Lao.

Blushing at the compliment, Hinata flashed him a dimpled smile, "Lahkon Mr. Bouphasiri and saukdee." (Goodbye and good luck)

Itachi bowed politely, "Kop jai, Mr. Bouphasiri."

The Laotians bowed back and cut the connection between them.

When the screen went blank, Shino and Itachi turned two sets of impressed eyes on Hinata. She had handled the meeting like a professional and spoke the language beautifully as if it was her native tongue.

"You are a life saver, Ms. Hyuuga," Shino told her in a calm voice but the beads of sweat on his forehead showed her just how concerned he had been about the meeting.

"I was glad to help," Hinata replied modestly and her eyes darted over to Itachi to see if he was pleased.

Her breath caught in her throat when she could tell by the look in his eyes he was. But he was also watching her very closely.

"Shino, after you clean up after here you may take the rest of the day off," Itachi told him as he began to lead Hinata out of the conference room.

His assistant went still for a moment before he covered up his surprise. After five years of working for him, this was the first time his boss had ever let him go home early.

"Goodbye Shino, it was nice meeting you," Hinata said softly over her shoulder just before she exited the room after Itachi.

"Goodbye Miss Hyuuga, it was very fortunate for us you chose to stop by today," Shino observed and watched the door close behind her.

As he turned off the equipment he hoped his boss kept her around for a long time. She was clearly a positive influence in his life and after seeing his coldly austere boss smile at her at least twice, he finally figured out what was drawing Mr. Uchiha home early each night.

Shino pulled his cell phone out and dialed home and a small grin touched his mouth when his shocked wife answered the phone, "How would you like to meet me for lunch…?"

* * *

As she began to follow him down the hallway toward his office, Itachi pulled out his cell phone and called Kakashi.

"Our meeting is concluded, you may bring Jonas to my office," he spoke brusquely into the phone before hanging up.

His black eyes were curious and speculative as he turned them on Hinata.

She breathed out shallowly and had a sinking feeling she was about to be interrogated.

"How many languages do you speak fluently?" He asked her just before he reached out and opened up one of the doors into his office. He held the door open and allowed her to enter it first.

As she stepped inside the room, Hinata took a moment to admire the spacious but rather spartan appearance of his office. It had a stunning view as the entire back side of it was one large tinted window but inside there was only his desk, some office equipment and a few leather couches and some chairs.

Hinata looked at him standing beside her dressed immaculately and thought his office suited him, because for all his obvious wealth and power, she was beginning to learn, he was someone who liked to keep things simple.

_Simple and… lonely_, she thought sadly as she turned to him and blushed slightly when she saw he was beginning to grow impatient as he waited for her to answer his question.

"Sorry…" she muttered weakly before adding, "Um, I guess I speak about thirty languages." She knew she was underestimating the number greatly but if she said more he wouldn't believe her.

Itachi blinked slowly as though having a hard time believing her. "Where did you learn all of them?"

Hinata sighed and lifted her eyes up to his, "I learned all of them on the job… it was necessary for me to be able to understand all of the people I have had to watch over."

His eyes flashed with disappointment before he turned away from her and stated in a hard voice. "Angels are mythical beings."

Hinata placed her hand on his arm and said gently, "I wish I could make you believe it, but sometimes things can only be learned by faith."

"Faith," he repeated with a bitter laugh. "I think you will find I am severely lacking in that ability."

"I know," she responded as she looked at him with tears forming in her eyes.

Itachi looked back into her clear gray eyes he felt utterly exposed before her and he realized it wasn't the first time it had happened to him. She had a way of looking deep into his soul, to a place where his wealth and power didn't matter.

He breathed out deeply and his hands gripped her shoulders like a lifeline; his face was only inches from hers. "Who are you?"

She stared back without flinching even though his hands were rough on her shoulders. "I told you, I used to be an angel… b-but I have been sent down to earth until I can earn my wings back."

Itachi loosened his grip on her shoulders. "What does this have to do with me?" He asked in a deceptively soft voice as he still didn't fully believe her yet in the back of his mind he couldn't completely rule out her outrageous claims either.

The woman was a complete anomaly. She had no background; no date of birth; no family; was good and kind to the point of ridiculousness and had no formal education, yet she claimed she could speak several languages fluently.

Hinata blushed under his scrutiny but her eyes were solemn as she stared back at him, "You are my assignment."

He stepped away from her in disbelief, not only that - he couldn't believe he was actually having this conversation. Itachi stared out the window and ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Let me guess, you have some heavenly wisdom to impart to me so that I will become like you and give away all of my money to the poor."

Not in her wildest dreams could she picture him doing something like that, Hinata gave him a wobbly smile.

"No Itachi," she said softly.

He turned to her and his emotions were carefully under control. "Then why are you here?"

Her eyes searched his eyes closely and saw that there was still a mocking light within them but she also noticed he was curious.

"I'm not allowed to tell you specifics, but I can tell you that someone is very worried about you and it was mainly because of him that I was sent to you."

Stunned, Itachi sucked in his breath. "Sasuke."

Close to tears at the naked pain on his face, Hinata nodded.

Bouncing like a rabbit, Jonas chose that moment to plow through the doors, "Come on you guys, let's go to the park."

Feeling like he was intruding on a private moment, Kakashi distracted Jonas by saying goodbye to him allowing Mr. Uchiha time to compose himself.

"Goodbye, Jonas," he said cheerfully before turning toward the door.

"Oh goodbye, Mr. Kakashi. Thanks for teaching me how to use your radio."

"Uh sure," the white-haired man chuckled as he thought of how a lot of his crew had been shocked to hear a five year old giving them orders. "You did a fine job, Jonas."

The little boy's stomach began to growl and he immediately turned toward Hinata and his uncle and began to whine. "I'm hungry; can I get a hot dog from one of the vendors by the park?"

Itachi felt like hugging the boy because he reminded him so much of his brother but he restrained himself. "Yes, only after you ask without whining."

"Okay," Jonas said with a long-suffering look at Hinata because his uncle was so strict with him. "May I please have a hot dog?"

"Yes, you may."

**Author's Note:** Life has been crazy for me, sorry for the delay. I have a lot of the next chapter already written, hopefully I will be able to post it this weekend. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Christmas Miracle**

**~10~**

* * *

All conversation in the ultra-exclusive salon stopped when they saw the dark-haired couple enter through the polished glass doors. Especially the man, even without knowing who he was (which they all did of course) they would have recognized that he inhabited the rarified world of the elite and powerful.

And in the mind of the salon workers, that spelled money and lots of it.

The manager of the establishment quickly stepped out to greet them and the smile she had pasted on her face grew even wider when she noticed Sakura wasn't with him. Her eyes slid over to his companion and she bit back a smile of sweet satisfaction that comes with catching someone in a horrendous lie.

_Sakura, you are such a big fat liar!_

Ino had been friends with Sakura since high school and for the past few years Sakura had been bragging that even though she had once married the younger Uchiha, the older one belonged to her as well. She had been telling people she was practically engaged to the man.

She watched and internally crowed with delight at the attentive way he led his companion and she even saw a slight smile cross his face when the girl said something to him.

_Sakura, you bitch, I hope you are enjoying Paris because your latest victim has found himself someone new_, Ino thought, gloating over her absent friend. However, when she greeted them her face was perfectly composed.

"Hello Mr. Uchiha, it has been such a long time since you have visited us. How may we help you today?"

"Ino," Itachi nodded coolly as he read her name off of her badge and not being one to waste time on social niceties he got straight to the point by gently shoving Hinata forward.

"This is Hinata. We have an event to attend at the Governor's mansion tomorrow night and I need her to be dressed appropriately."

Ino watched in stunned fascination as he turned toward the young woman and with extraordinary gentleness he lifted up a lock of her shiny black hair.

"I wish her hair to be kept long and no high heels," he ordered before glancing over at Hinata and they shared a look as if they were remembering a private memory of something amusing.

"I could try to learn how to walk in them, Itachi," Hinata said with slight blush and a grin as she obviously was not being all that serious in her desire to try.

"I certainly would not advise it," he responded dryly but his mouth tugged into a ghost of a grin before he consulted his watch. "I will meet you back here around five. You may contact me if you need something."

"Okay," she responded and pulled out the shiny pink cell phone he had bought her and began scrolling through the lists of contacts like a pro as she found his number. He had just bought it for her yesterday because he was getting tired of searching for her and Jonas all the time.

At the time, when he had handed it to her, he had been surprised that she actually didn't know how to use it. After all, in this day and age who doesn't know how to use a cell phone?

The odd thought had reluctantly passed through his mind, _perhaps she really did used to be an angel?_

Refuting the thought as irrational, he had given her a quick tutorial yesterday and glancing over at the screen today he saw she already had at least a hundred contacts in it.

Hinata grinned sheepishly when she saw him looking at her cell phone screen. "I added a lot of the phone numbers of the people I had met in the hospital into my contact list so I can keep in touch with all of them," she mentioned happily with the joy of someone experiencing something new and fun for the first time.

Ino glanced at the clock and knew she had a lot of treatments and work to do before he picked her up at the end of the day and clasping Hinata by the arm she began leading her away.

"I will take good care of her," she promised him and watched as he shared one more look with Hinata before he turned and left.

Settling Hinata into one of the salon chairs, Ino couldn't hold back any longer.

"OMG! Hinata, do you mind if I call you that?" Ino asked in a rush.

"Um sure," she replied weakly feeling a little muted by the bold and dazzling personality of the blonde speaking to her.

"Sakura told me all about you and I have to say you are one lucky girl. I mean, if you have to get run over saving someone's nephew then you certainly hit the jackpot."

"Yeah, at least the size of a billion - Itachi Uchiha is loaded," another stylist named Karin added dryly as she walked over to them and began fanning herself exaggeratedly. "Not to mention, he is really, really hot."

Several clients and stylists nodded emphatically agreeing with her.

Ino shot them all a dire look telling them to back off, this was her client. Her eyes were admiring as she turned them back on Hinata.

"As I was saying, Hinata, it looks like you have caught one of the world's most elusive bachelors and I have to say in all honesty, I can't hate you for it. I can tell by looking at you that you are just so adorable and nice…"

Hinata felt a little dazed as she listened to Ino rattle on and frowned when she saw everyone was staring at her, some of the women even had envious looks on their faces. Also, strangely enough everyone seemed to think that she was Itachi's girlfriend.

When the glamorous blonde stopped talking long enough for her to break in, Hinata attempted to set all of them straight, "Itachi and I are just friends."

Ino choked back a stunned laugh when she saw Hinata was actually serious. If a man looked at her the way the billionaire did at Hinata she would be taking him to pick out their China pattern.

"Wow, you really are innocent, aren't you?"

Not knowing how to respond that, Hinata just stared back at her with puzzled eyes.

"Hmm...I bet it's your incredibly innocent eyes that has him so enthralled with you?" Ino wondered as she stared deeply into her gray orbs. "They are so pure and luminous, they appear almost angelic."

The blonde stylist stood up straight and shot her a sideway's glance. "I am sure you must be driving him absolutely insane."

Hinata sat there and felt extremely uncomfortable with what she was hearing. Itachi couldn't possibly be suffering because of her. Their relationship wasn't like that at all.

Deep within her mind, she disregarded how sometimes she would catch him staring at her with an intensity that would make her feel all warm and funny inside. But, she was pretty sure that he did it because he was lonely, that's all.

And ever since yesterday, she felt she was making a small amount of headway with him and she got the feeling he was starting to believe her a little. After walking through the park with Jonas and dropping him off at home, he had taken her back to his work to his Human Resources department and had her go through a battery of language, employment and basic skills tests. When she was finished she had proved to him that she could indeed speak and write close to fifty languages, but had no other job skills whatsoever.

So, Hinata had been surprised when he had offered her a job as a company linguist, where she would assist him and other executives with meetings and also the Customer Service Department. But she wouldn't be able to start her job until after all of her official documents from the State Department arrived.

Kisame told her the papers would probably come in some time after the holidays. And as gratifying as all of this undoubtedly was for her that someone actually thought she was valuable enough to hire, in the back of her mind she wasn't sure if accepting the job was the right thing to do.

To accept it felt like she was giving up on her assignment from up above. Hinata released a deep sigh as she felt torn about what to do.

Ino looked over at Hinata and saw she was actually becoming anxious by what she was saying and backed away from her. "So, you really aren't dating him?"

Hinata looked at her with slightly dazed eyes because she had forgotten all about her, "No we aren't, he just needed someone to attend the party with him this weekend. I guess in some ways you could consider me to be a temporary employee of his."

"Sure, whatever," Ino said with a little laugh before giving her a deliciously knowing smirk. "Trust me Hinata, by the time I get through with you, work will be the last thing on his mind..."

Hinata gave her a weak smile as she tried to sort of just what it was that Ino was trying to accomplish with all of this makeover talk. In her mind it was all one big waste of time and money. She would much rather be out walking at the park with Buddy or learning how to cook with Mrs. Green.

Besides, the way she looked on earth could never truly compare with her glorious appearance in heaven. The dress she used to wear was so ephemeral and shiny and what was really wonderful about it was that it never wore out or became dirty. Here on earth staying clean and tidy was a constant battle for her. And to be honest, she found it all pretty boring and tedious.

But, Itachi wanted her to look nice for the party, so she would try her best.

"Alright Hinata," Ino stated as her eyes lit up enthusiastically. "We will head over to the spa and take care of your skin first, then hair and nails and makeup. After all of that we will work on your wardrobe and find you an utterly amazing dress for you to wear at the party - doesn't that sound fun?"

Ever truthful, Hinata grimaced slightly. "Well…no, not really."

Ino laughed and admitted candidly, "Okay, not all of it is fun, but the results will be stunning - I promise you."

Hoping and praying she wasn't going to have to go through another hellish experience like she did when she went shopping with Itachi, she obediently followed Ino into the back.

* * *

The whole experience was every bit as tedious as she had expected it to be, but Hinata was surprised that it went by fairly quickly and she didn't count the whole experience a total loss - because she had made another friend.

Her first impressions of Ino had been of someone who was vain, shallow and cared only for appearances. Over the course of the day, she found that she had been only partially right in her assessment of her. It gratified her to learn Ino also had a very kind heart.

Unfortunately though for Ino, she had simply rotten taste in men and had been in one bad relationship after another.

Patting her hand gently, Hinata listened patiently as Ino told her about the last guy she had dated. Ino looked away angrily as she remembered how the stupid jerk had quit his job and kept sticking her with all of the bills. After paying for dinner one too many times she finally dumped his cheap ass.

"Ino, I'm sure that there is someone out there for you that isn't a cheap jerk," Hinata said softly in a reassuring voice.

"Well, I hope you're right…" Ino agreed before looking at her with a perfectly straight face and asked her point blank, "What about Itachi?"

"Itachi?" Hinata repeated in a stunned voice as a frown began to mar her forehead.

"Sure, you claim that you guys are just friends. What if I asked him out on a date?"

Hinata looked away and wondered what that horrible constricting feeling was in her chest; whatever it was made her feel like hyperventilating and the thought of Ino being with Itachi just felt utterly wrong on so many levels.

Ino giggled as the look on Hinata's face proved her earlier point.

"Relax Hinata, I was just kidding. But I think we both know you are more than just friends with him," she added in a sly voice before sailing out of the room to go bring out a couple of dresses for Hinata to try on.

Sitting there in stunned silence, Hinata sunk down in her chair and denial began to settle in mind and tell her that it was all in Ino's fanciful head.

Itachi was just her assignment and she couldn't possibly care for him in that way.

Angels weren't allowed to form attachments with humans and besides, she wasn't even sure she would recognize being in love even if it happened to her.

Burying her face in her hands, Hinata released a shaky breath as she struggled with her wayward emotions. Lifting up her eyes she glanced in the mirror and saw she had somehow smudged her make-up a little.

_Oh dear_, she fretted because Ino had worked so hard to get her eye shadow just right and turn her into a sexy siren as Ino had called it and now she had messed it all up, making her eyes look a little raccoonish.

She quickly began rubbing her eyes and was horrified when she saw she was only making them look worse.

A small movement in the mirror caught her attention and her eyes widened when she saw Itachi was standing behind her and was watching her. In the mirror his face was composed and calm but Hinata sent him a small grin when she found she could tell he was hiding his amusement.

Her heart began to race when a small smile touched his lips and she longed to go back to how things were between them this morning when she was blissfully unaware of him and thought of him only as a friend. It had been less complicated that way.

With a reluctant sigh, Hinata swiveled her chair around until she faced him.

Itachi stepped closer to her so that he was standing just in front of her. "You look nice, Hinata," he said hesitantly, using the sort of voice someone would use when they are trying to find something good out of a complete disaster.

She choked out a laugh at his obvious lie. "Well, I did look sort of nice before I messed up all of Ino's hard work."

"Hinata!" Ino gasped in horror as she came through the door and saw her botched make-up. The blonde girl shook her head in a long suffering manner before she began to chuckle good naturedly.

"Well, let's get you cleaned up and I can just bring the dresses over tomorrow for you to try on." She turned around and felt her breath catch when she saw a very tall dark-haired man come through the door.

Ino resumed what she was doing when she noticed he was looking at Hinata and giggled under her breath when she heard him say in a deep and hesitant voice, "You… um, look very nice, Hinata."

Itachi bit back a grin as his friend had used the exact same tone of voice and words as he did. His eyes gravitated towards Hinata who was trying not to laugh. The two of them shared an amused look.

Kisame turned to the blonde who was busy cleaning up with questioning eyes; he had seen hookers on the streets with better make-up jobs than what Hinata was wearing on her face. Itachi had obviously not gotten his money's worth out of this establishment.

Ino turned around and Kisame could only stare at her as he was rendered speechless by her stunning looks. He always did have a thing for blondes with long hair and blue eyes.

"Well hello," he said after he regained his senses and closed his mouth.

_Damn she is hot! And interested_, he could tell by the subtle signals she was sending him. He moved closer to her and decided to cut right to the chase since he didn't see a ring on her finger. Standing very close to her, his eyes shifted downward slowly and he read her name off of her badge.

"Ino," he said softly as his mouth spread into a grin and his eyes became penetrating with the instincts of a shark scenting blood in the water. "My name is Kisame."

"Hello Kisame," Ino responded as her eyes slid over him and a heated light entered them as she liked what she seeing in front of her very much. The man was clearly educated, powerful and obviously friends or an associate of Itachi (which meant he was probably rich too).

Not to mention, his tall frame was strong and so powerfully built he looked like he could snap her in half just like a twig if he wanted to.

Ino released a shallow breath at the thought. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead and she let him see her wipe them off with a manicured finger as she lifted her eyes slowly toward his.

Kisame lowered his head a fraction closer to hers so that if one of them moved as much as an inch their lips would touch. Ino stared directly into his eyes and dared him to move.

He grinned and decided he had learned enough about her so he made the next move. "How would you like to go with me to the party at the Governor's mansion tomorrow night?"

Since it had always been a dream of hers to dress up and go to such an exclusive event, Ino felt intense elation pour over her at his invitation. If she had been alone she would have jumped up and down and performed a celebration dance. However, she was not, so she quickly contained her joy and gave him a polite smile instead. "Yes, I would like very much to go with you."

Kisame gave her a look that told her he liked her first reaction better. "Good, I will pick you up at Itachi's apartment at six, that way you can help Hinata get ready."

Ino shot a happy glance at Hinata who was still a little stunned to see two strangers connect or "hook up" as they called it on TV, as quickly as they did. Their connection had reminded her a little of the bizarre mating ritual that she had once observed hyenas in the wild going through when they were in heat and were choosing their mate.

Her eyes immediately sought Itachi's and she grinned at the droll way he rolled his eyes.

After staring into his dark eyes for a few long moments, her stomach turned over and her eyes shifted away from his as she could no longer deny what Ino had said was true… she really did feel something for him and it wasn't even close to friendship.

Somehow, someway she had formed a connection with him and she had to admit that it had probably been there from the beginning. He had always been more than just an assignment to her - she had just never realized it before.

"I will wait for you in the car," Itachi told her before turning away from her.

"Okay," Hinata said in a dazed voice and watched in surprise as Kisame lightly kissed Ino on the mouth. The blonde whispered something into the big lawyer's ear that immediately made him grin hugely.

Immediately after Itachi and Kisame left the salon to go wait out in the limo for Hinata to get cleaned up, Ino began to grill her for information about Kisame.

Happy to be given a small reprieve from her inner turmoil, she told her newfound friend everything she knew about the lawyer.

* * *

In the middle of the night, she woke up from a restless sleep. Wearing the sweatshirt and pants Itachi had given her on the first night she had stayed there, she climbed out from under the covers and walked over to the window-seat and watched the snow drift slowly from the sky.

Nothing was stirring and the whole world seemed to be standing completely still and it was so peaceful.

_And cold_, she thought as her whole body began to shiver a few moments later.

She hurried out of her room and began padding down the hallway with socks on her feet toward the kitchen to make herself some hot chocolate. Mrs. Green had taught her yesterday how to make it and she thought it was delicious. Plus it was hot.

After turning on the stove and pouring some milk into the pan, Hinata added the cocoa powder, some sugar and a few drops of vanilla and began to stir it gently with a long wooden spoon.

The door opened and Itachi emerged through it and Hinata gasped as some of the hot chocolate splashed onto her hand, burning it slightly.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he moved closer to her and immediately led her over to the sink to run her hand under some cold water.

"Thanks," she told him a little breathlessly as the cold water made contact with her heated skin. Lifting her eyes toward his, a strange almost wanton heat began to rush through her when she noticed his long dark hair was loose over his shoulders and he was dressed in only a t-shirt and thin pajama pants. Along his jaw was a slight amount of stubble where he was usually cleanly shaven. His disheveled appearance made him seem less perfect and more approachable than normal.

Hinata's face grew flushed as she thought he looked and smelled absolutely delicious.

_OH HEAVENS! WHAT AM I THINKING? I SOUND JUST LIKE INO_, her mind uttered in shocked disbelief as she stepped away from him and went back to stirring the hot chocolate.

Hinata cleared her throat nervously when she noticed he was watching her and frowning. "Um, would you like some?" She offered.

Itachi came up behind her and looked over her shoulder at the contents in the pan to determine if there was enough for the both of them. Feeling warmth begin to radiate off of him behind her through the sweatpants and shirt she was wearing, Hinata had to almost physically stop herself from leaning back into him. The heat coming off of his body behind her was almost heavenly in the cold night.

"Yes, it looks good," he said before reaching up and opening the cabinet, he took down a mug for each of them. His eyes shifted over what she was wearing and he raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "I thought I bought you some pajamas to wear?"

"You did," Hinata said with a blush and immediately began pouring the chocolate into the mugs. "But I like wearing these better," she admitted with a weak smile as they began to carry their mugs of chocolate over to the table.

They sat there for several moments staring out the window and watching the snow fall as they sipped their hot drinks. The moment was strangely lonely as they sat together in the middle of the night. Something about the dim lighting in the kitchen and the stillness of snow drifting slowly in the streetlights gave them both an unreal sense like they were the only two people who were awake in the whole city.

"It's so cold outside," Hinata remarked softly to break the silence between them.

"It is supposed to warm up a little tomorrow," Itachi responded before lifting his mug and taking a small sip.

"Oh that's good," Hinata replied with a slight shiver. She was not a huge fan of cold weather, but she immediately thought of someone who was.

"Um, Itachi?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have to work tomorrow?"

He had been planning on going in for part of the day, but as he looked her face, he hesitated. "Why?"

Hinata met his eyes directly and didn't even try to cover up just how badly she wanted him to go with them. "I was hoping we could take Jonas sledding at the park tomorrow morning."

Itachi turned and stared out the window as his first instinct was to make an excuse and tell her he had to work. It had been so long since he had taken a whole day off that he wasn't sure if he felt comfortable with the idea. Not only that, the last time he had went sledding had been with his brother and that was years ago.

But most of his work was caught up for the moment and he had been neglecting Jonas lately. A small sigh escaped his mouth after he lifted his gaze into her slightly pleading and luminous eyes and he found he couldn't refuse her.

"No, I don't have to work tomorrow," he told her quietly.

"Good." Hinata said before giving him a smile that sent warmth coursing through him like sunshine before she drained the last of her cocoa in one long drink.

After she set her mug down, she froze slightly when she watched him reach out slowly and wipe the corner of her mouth gently with his finger. Darting her tongue out nervously she licked around the outside of her mouth for good measure.

"Did I get it all?" She asked before clearing her throat nervously and standing up when she noticed he had moved closer to her.

"Yes," Itachi said in a quiet voice that bordered on being resigned as he picked up her mug along with his and placed them both in the sink.

"Well, I will see you in the morning then," Hinata said with a yawn as she headed toward the doorway.

"Goodnight, Hinata," he told her as he watched her leave and stood there staring after her for a several moments, before he turned out the light and headed back upstairs up to bed…

**Author's Note:** Sorry, I didn't get this out sooner, I hit a few rough patches with it and then I had to go out of town suddenly last weekend. Anyway, I am really looking forward to the next chapter… I will try to get it out to you guys ASAP. Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to leave me feedback; I appreciate all of you so much!


	11. Chapter 11

**Christmas Miracle**

**~11~**

**

* * *

**

**[Holiday timeline: December 18, Saturday]**

Standing on top of the snow covered hill Itachi watched them scream down the hill and his heart nearly stopped when he watched them wipe out at the bottom and roll off the sled. He was just about to careen down the hill like a madman when he watched Jonas bounce up and put snow down the back of Hinata's jacket and then giggle uncontrollably as she jumped up and chased after him.

A small smile tugged his mouth as his eyes followed them laughing and horsing around and he realized that having Hinata around has been very good for Jonas. Since she had been staying at his apartment, he had seen the quiet little boy laugh and smile more than he had in a long time, probably ever.

Itachi ducked down at the last minute as two snowballs were simultaneously launched at his head. His two attackers groaned disappointedly in unison when they saw the snowballs sail past him.

Unperturbed, he reached down behind him and picked up the two snowballs he had been saving and launched them back at them as Hinata and Jonas used the sled as a shield as they made their way up the hill. The two of them laughed as the snowballs splattered harmlessly against the sled.

As he looked down at their grinning faces as they whispered and conspired against him, he realized that she wasn't just good for Jonas…

She was good for him too.

Before he had met her he had considered himself to be fairly satisfied with his life. His job was extremely demanding and gave him little time for a social life, but he didn't mind. He had Kisame and a few business associates he could call if he felt the need to socialize.

And most importantly, he had Jonas, who would one day inherit everything from him.

But now, after the past week of having Jonas and Hinata stay with him at his house he had found something very satisfying, comforting almost in coming home to the sounds of laughter and chaos. It felt nice to connect to people again and know that someone was around to greet him when he came home at night.

Being around the two them made him begin to yearn for something he hadn't even realized he had been searching for.

"Come on, Uncle Itachi, it's your turn to sled with me," Jonas whined as he tugged on his arm drawing his attention down towards him.

Itachi shrugged and then his eyes widened when he felt the icy sensation of melting snow sliding down his back.

Jonas began to giggle behind his gloved hand and jump up and down with joy. "Yeah, we got you, Uncle Itachi!"

Hinata's eyes lit up with triumphal mirth as she high-fived her young co-conspirator, but her breath sucked in nervously when she saw Itachi scoop up some snow and was beginning to advance on her with a hint of revenge in his eyes.

"Uh oh," she groaned before she turned and ran away like the hounds of hell were after her. Unfortunately for her, she soon found she was no match for his quickness and before she knew it she had a large hand-full of snow smashed into her face.

Itachi grinned as he watched her sputter and spit out the snow and wipe ineffectually with her hand to remove the white powdery stuff off of her face and out of her long dark hair. This morning she had pulled it back into a ponytail but somehow throughout the day it had become loose and now hung in messy waves over her shoulders and around her face.

"Allow me," he said in a low voice as he took a step closer to her and began to gently remove the snow that sparkled like diamonds in her hair.

With her nose and cheeks all red and breath coming out in little pants, Hinata looked up at him and met his dark eyes and chuckled.

"I didn't expect you to do that."

Itachi's eyes flashed and a smile tugged at his lips as he reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You deserved it," he stated mildly.

A semi-naughty grin spread over her face, "Jonas and I have been trying all morning to get you, but you are very good at dodging snowballs. So we had to plot against you to get you off guard."

"I suppose it was Jonas's idea to distract me while you came up behind me," Itachi figured out, he was beginning to realize that his little nephew was a more of a handful than he had realized. The knowledge had surprised him because the boy was usually very well behaved whenever he came over to visit him.

Hinata nodded and he watched her eyes twinkle as she gave a quick glance over his shoulder in his nephew's direction. Immediately becoming suspicious, Itachi moved to the side and the snowball Jonas had just tossed ended up hitting Hinata squarely in the chest instead of its intended target.

"Oops!" Jonas told Hinata with a small grimace before he turned on his uncle with ire flashing in his eyes. "No fair Uncle Itachi, you're not supposed to move!"

In response, his uncle scooped the youngster up in his arms and carried him squirming over to the sled and explained as he settled him down on the front of the sled. "We will go down one more time and then we will go back home. Mrs. Green is making us some homemade soup for lunch."

"Okay," Jonas said with a little pout even as he felt his stomach begin to rumble at the mention of lunch. "But, I want Hinata to come down with us too."

Hinata came up beside them and eyed the sled a little doubtfully, "I'm not sure if there is enough room for all three of us."

"We will make room," Itachi stated as he scooted forward on the sled leaving a small space for her on the back of the sled.

A little hesitantly, Hinata climbed on back of the sled and settled her long legs around him and hooked her arms around his midsection. At first she tried to just hold onto his jacket but as soon as they began to descend rapidly down the hill she realized she had to hold on very tightly to him just to keep from falling off the back of the sled.

Somehow, while holding on, her hands accidentally slipped under Itachi's jacket and she gasped at the hard feel of his strong ab muscles flexing underneath them. Feeling almost decadently sinful, she marveled at the feel of him because his body was just so amazingly different from hers.

Just before they reached the bottom of the hill, gravity forced Itachi back slightly so that her face ended up resting along his back. Giving into temptation, she breathed in the male scent of him and blushed slightly when a few moments later she noticed the sled had stopped moving, but she was still holding onto him as though she never wanted to release him.

_What in the world is wrong with me? _Hinata asked herself as she jerked her arms away from him as if she had been electrocuted.

Confused and a little embarrassed, Hinata barely noticed when Itachi stood up and held out his hand to her. Slowly, she reached out and kept her eyes averted away from him as she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up.

"Are you ready to go home," Itachi asked her and her eyes skipped up to his when she noticed his voice sounded rougher than normal and she wondered if he was beginning to catch a cold.

"Yes," she replied in a slightly distracted voice and reached down and picked up the thermos of hot chocolate and some cups that Mrs. Green had sent with them this morning. "We should probably get back and have lunch. Ino will be coming over in a few hours to help me get ready for tonight."

At her mention of tonight's event, Itachi's mouth turned down in a discontented frown. He loathed these types of political society events and he had only asked her to go to keep her from going with Kisame. He actually hadn't been to one in years; the last one he had attended was just before his brother had died.

Dragging the sled behind him as they walked towards the limo, he thought about Hinata and relived the feel of her hands naively sliding over his stomach as she held onto him a few moments earlier and wondered if she even understood the subtle attraction that had been growing between them.

He certainly understood it and had been fighting against it ever since he brought her to his house from the hospital. Sometimes he caught himself almost aching to kiss the smile off of her lips as she looked at him. There was something about the way she always smiled at him that was nearly irresistible to him.

So far, he had been able to resist temptation and had been able to keep his hands off of her, mainly because she was a guest in his house and she seemed unusually inexperienced when it came to dealing with men. Also having Jonas around has been like a buffer between them and had made it easier for him to keep his distance with her.

However, tonight there would be no buffers between them, only his sorely tried restraint and sense of honor.

Itachi sighed, as he watched her wave hello and give a friendly smile to his driver as he opened the door for her and Jonas. He had a feeling he was in for a very long night.

**Author's Note:** Just a short upate leading up to (I hope) a very fun chapter. I hope you guys liked this bit of fluff…

**Many thanks to:** Xalgoz (funny! So, are you expecting me to update today? Because if you are, you are right lol.) Hinata1020569, Fanofthisfiction (thanks), Jay-Boogie, Ayesha Raees (thanks, I am glad you liked it), In your dreams as well, Fay of the Ink and the Paper, Echo Uchiha, KagomeMarie (denial is what makes the world go round imo), Sepsis (I am glad you liked Kisame-Ino), Lady Crack (thanks bud).


	12. Chapter 12

**Christmas Miracle**

**~12~**

* * *

_**Warning:**__This chapter contains a lot of bad language, just giving you all a heads up._

**[Holiday timeline: December 18, 2010 Saturday Night, 6pm]**

Hinata watched with big eyes as the limo drove around an enormous circular driveway to a covered area outside of the mansion. As they waited behind a couple of other cars to be dropped off, she was nearly beside herself to go join the party.

Because the signs of wonderful holiday cheer was everywhere.

It thrilled her heart to see the outside of the mansion was tastefully yet extravagantly decorated with brightly glowing holiday lights. Beautiful fresh wreaths intertwined with red ribbons and were plentiful and hung in various places on the exterior of the building. Even the valets, who were parking the cars were cheerfully attired in green and red as elves.

"I just love parties, don't you?" She asked Itachi and was swayed slightly forward as the limo was finally able to move again.

"Not particularly," came his immediate response.

Instantly worried, Hinata flashed him a concerned look, "Is it because of your brother?"

_Hardly_, Itachi thought irritably. Glancing out the window, he recognized his district's congressman and his wife as they walked toward the main door. He had dinner with them on more than a few occasions and it was an experience he hoped he would never have to repeat.

The obnoxious couple gave a whole new meaning to the words greedy and hypocritical.

Staring out the window, he recognized even more people he knew and had to admit these social events, as torturous and painful as they undoubtedly were, they were almost as important as massive financial contributions were to keeping the gears of capitalism running smoothly.

Mixing business with politics was all one subtle game of quid pro quo, so he and Kisame were required often to attend functions similar to this one.

Except this party wasn't usually required and was considered by most of his contemporaries to be almost a purely social event which meant he normally skipped it.

His eyes turned toward hers and he noticed she was smiling knowingly and wagging her finger at him.

"You don't like parties, do you?"

He took a short breath before lifting an eyebrow. "Ever been to Hell?"

"Huh? Of course not," she responded with a puzzled look on her face. "How can you possibly equate a Christmas party to that horribly miserable place?"

"You'll see," he told her abruptly. He was seriously beginning to have second thoughts about bringing her here. She was so innocent and kind he felt like a jerk for exposing her to hard cynical people like the ones she was about to meet.

His eyes slid over her looking so unspoiled and lovely in her strapless gown, with her shoulders bare as she sat beside him. When she had descended down the stairs tonight, the sight of her had taken his breath away.

Ino had clearly outdone herself, making all of the money he had invested in this evening well spent. She had kept Hinata's thick, silky hair loose and informal with just a small part of the front clipped on top of her head so that it flowed in long waves down her back.

Her dress was relatively simple, a sleeveless gray sheath that shimmered like the mist when she walked. On most women it would have muted or washed them out, but on her it contrasted beautifully with her long black hair.

Practically from the moment he had met her he had been attracted to her quiet, almost subtle beauty, especially when she smiled. But tonight, there was something almost otherworldly and radiant about the way she looked that made him want to keep her all to himself.

Hinata glanced out the front of the car and saw there was still one car in front of them. Her brow furrowed as she wondered how to navigate his current mood. At least she now knew one reason why he was so grumpy tonight. He didn't like parties and judging by some of the looks he had given some of the people he had spotted she had a feeling he didn't care much for them either.

Out of the corner of her eye she felt his eyes were on her and immediately suppressed the impulse to smooth down her hair. Almost awkwardly, she cleared her throat before she broke the silence between them by thinking out loud, "Um, there sure are a lot of people here."

"I am aware of that," he stated as he took his eyes off her and turned his head toward the window.

"Do you know a lot of them?" She pressed and gave him look that told him she was interested in meeting his friends.

"Unfortunately, I do," he admitted with an internal shudder. Knowing that most of the men he knew were going to hide behind well-mannered smiles as they raped her with their eyes and the women were going to cattily judge her every flaw while at the same time giving her insincere compliments on her appearance.

A frown grew over her forehead as she felt herself becoming frustrated with him. He always just seemed to look for the worst in everyone.

"I don't understand why you can't ever see the good in anyone?" She said with a sigh as she looked up and saw they were finally moving again. They would be dropped off next.

"I am usually right," Itachi responded feeling slightly amused by her gentle criticism of him. He recognized they were having a "teachable moment."

Hinata's eyes flashed him a knowing look before she reminded him gently, "You were wrong about me while I was in the hospital - you thought I was... some sort of con artist just trying to get your money."

He stared into her eyes as the car stopped and a smile hovered over his lips. He reached over and placed his hand on her wrist and his thumb slid over it slowly sending shivers down her spine. "I was wrong about you," he admitted in a low voice before adding, "But I am not about them."

Her cheeks flushed with pleasure at what he had just admitted but the rest of what he said made her pause. She realized she was beginning to allow her feelings for him to interfere with her assignment and decided tonight would be a good time to try to help him to see people from another angle - a more positive one.

It was either that or go around staring at him like a witless fool. He looked utterly amazing in a tuxedo and it was all she could do to keep her eyes off of him.

She lifted her chin a fraction as she met his slightly amused eyes and felt something rise up within her.

"I believe there is good in everyone, even rich people," she told him before turning her head towards the driver who just opened her side of the car to let her out. Throughout her centuries long life she had seen the good and bad in people of all walks of life. She was sure he had to be exaggerating about the people she was about to meet tonight.

"Perhaps," he conceded a little before giving her a skeptical look. "But I doubt you will find much good in the people you meet tonight."

Hinata took his words as a personal challenge and stiffened her shoulders as she watched him emerge from the car and wipe a piece of imaginary lint from his sleeve.

"I will just have to prove that I am right," she said with a hint of stubbornness in her eyes.

Itachi's lip quirked as he realized the entertainment value of the evening was beginning to improve immensely. "Fine with me, you are welcome to try."

Not to mention, he thought it was time she learned what people were really like. He placed his hand on her elbow and began leading her towards the entrance.

Hinata's sense of optimism righted itself after greeting a stranger who walked by them with a cheerful, "Merry Christmas." When the man waved at her and greeted her back in a friendly voice she turned and gave Itachi a ghost of a knowing smile.

"That man seemed nice," she mentioned before stepping back and allowing him to open the door for her.

_Oh yeah - real nice_, Itachi thought sarcastically as he noticed the man's eyes had been practically glued onto her chest throughout most of the exchange.

Hinata started to hum "Joy to the World" and was proud of herself that she had managed to walk so well in the two inch heels that Ino had made her wear with the dress. As she walked toward the line of people who were waiting to drop off their coats and belongings in the cloak room, her eyes and attention were suddenly captivated by the thousands of homemade Christmas cards made by young school children.

"Oh, they are so adorable," she mentioned to Itachi with a fond smile as several of the cards reminded her of the one Jonas had made for her the other day.

Itachi shrugged and took his hand off of her elbow and began to divest himself of his coat, so when she got her heel caught on the edge of the carpet he wasn't able to stop her from tripping and toppling over the people in line in front of her like a row of dominoes.

Horrified, Hinata lifted up her head and felt like sinking into the marble floor beneath her when she noticed several people were picking themselves off the floor and were glaring at her with furious looking faces. One man had been drinking champagne and it was all over the front of his tux.

"Um, sorry," she muttered weakly to everyone as Itachi helped her up off of the floor. Hinata felt so embarrassed, she fought back the urge to start crying.

"You little bitch," the woman in front of her turned on her and Hinata's eyes widened when she realized the woman had been putting on her lipstick when she had tripped and now had a long bright red streak running across her face.

Taken aback by the venom she heard in the woman's voice Hinata gasped and looked at her with apologetic eyes and whispered sincerely, "I'm really sorry."

The woman's eyes narrowed as she had a hard time believing the girl was as genuinely sweet as she appeared to be. She was just about to rip into her when she felt a pair of cool dark eyes watching her and after recognizing him she held back. Her husband did business with Itachi Uchiha and they certainly did not want to make an enemy of him. Pissing him off could end up costing them millions of dollars.

The lady smiled graciously at Hinata before patting her hand, "It's alright dear, no harm done."

Hinata breathed out a sigh of relief, "I am so glad, I just feel awful."

The woman's eyes met Itachi's before turning and shoving her coat into her husband's arms. "Turn this in for me, I have to go make repairs," she hissed for his ears only before storming off to the women's bathroom.

Itachi glanced over at Hinata and was going to comment that the woman's current look was an improvement over the old one when he noticed Hinata was staring at the ground pensively.

He stepped behind her and rubbed her shoulders lightly before removing her coat, because they were next in line to drop them off. It bothered him to see her smile dimmed so he tried to reassure her by speaking in Latin and telling her that everything would be fine and that after a few drinks everyone involved would probably forget the incident ever happened.

He knew he was most likely lying, but he hated to see her upset.

Hinata smiled sweetly at him, touched by his concern for her and watched as he turned in their coats and took the number from the attendant who was dressed like one of Santa's helpers. When he reached his hand out toward hers to escort her inside, she didn't hesitate to place her hand in his.

After entering the main ballroom, Itachi looked around for Kisame and Ino and when he didn't see them or anyone else worth talking to, he began to lead Hinata toward the open bar.

"Where are we going?" She asked and a sinking feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach when she noticed someone point in her direction and snicker nastily.

"I need a drink," he stated flatly.

Hinata bit her lip and uttered nervously, "I have never had alcohol before."

Out of the corner of his eye, Itachi saw a couple of women laughing snidely behind their hands as they pointed in their direction. He was pretty sure by now everyone at the party already knew what had happened in the lobby and Hinata was probably well on her way to receiving several catty nicknames as well.

Deciding to give them all something else to talk about, he put his arm around Hinata's waist and smiled warmly at her, "I think tonight would be an excellent time to start."

"Um, alright," She agreed with a laugh, feeling a little lighter she decided not to let this little setback get to her. After all, there had to be someone around here who still had their soul intact and wasn't all hardened and cynical.

A couple of drinks/hours later she began to feel a bit discouraged and that maybe Itachi was right. The people in this place did sort of remind her of Hell. Being around them seemed to suck the very life right out of her.

As the evening wore on Itachi introduced her to drinks called White Russians and she found that they tasted lovely - all creamy deliciousness with a shot of coffee liquor and vodka. But even they couldn't create a rosy enough glow to block out all of the soulless hypocrisy and insincerity that was running rampant throughout the room.

She had lost track of all of the men who had stared at her chest and down her body rather than her face after she met them. Or the women who kissed the air near her and told her how pretty she looked. All the while they hid how they really thought about her behind polite smiles.

Itachi pulled out her chair for her and seated her at the huge table before sitting down next to her. In front of her, like a miracle, she saw a little nameplate with Hinata Hyuuga on it.

Seeing her name actually written on something gave her a strange connection with her humanness. It was like she was beginning to feel like a person now rather than an angel. She picked up the nameplate and ran her fingers slowly over the engraved letters of her name.

"So, do you still hold out hope for the human race?" Itachi asked her before taking a sip of his wine.

Hinata sighed and looked around her and felt her sense of optimism about meeting someone decent and not shallow plummet like a thrown rock sinking in a lake. If there was someone like that here, she surely hadn't met them yet. And Itachi must have introduced her to well over half of the people present. He didn't have a choice, because people were so surprised to see him here at this event and meet the young woman he was with that they kept coming up to them.

However, Hinata was an eternal optimist so she refused to give up hope and gave him a blinding smile instead before stating her beliefs with firm conviction. "Absolutely, I think everyone has the potential to change for the better."

A loud, skeptical snort next to her alerted her that the seat next to her was no longer vacant. She turned and saw the newcomer was about Itachi's age with unconventionally long silverish-white hair and was staring at her dubiously with eyes full of caustic disbelief. "I don't know what fucking party you are talking about, because I personally know every single one of these pathetic mother-fucking atheists are going straight to hell."

At his language and the sheer baldness of his statement Hinata's jaw dropped for several seconds before she managed to respond in a stunned voice, "How can you say such a horrible thing?"

"Because it's true," he responded and gave her a look that made her feel like she was an idiotic idealist and the earth would probably be better off without people like her on it. "God will smite assholes who don't understand the pain of others."

Speechless, Hinata turned to Itachi and was surprised he wasn't shocked at all by what he was hearing.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourself before you talk about politics and religion at the dinner table, Hidan. It's bad manners," Itachi rebuked the newcomer in a mild voice.

"Fuck off, Itachi," Hidan responded defensively. He eyed his old college fraternity brother with dismissive eyes and a sneer. "You are still the same fucking repressive, know-it-all bastard that we all used to despise. You'll never change."

"Y-you know this man?" Hinata stuttered out while moving unconsciously closer to Itachi. She relaxed a little when she noticed he was leaning back in his chair and treating the newcomer with tolerant indifference.

Itachi sighed, "I was in a fraternity at college with him."

Hidan snorted and gestured toward Hinata with his hand, "Where'd you find her, Itachi? Her eyes are full of innocent bullshit, she looks like she just got kicked out of Heaven."

Hinata gasped and looked at him and wondered just how in the world he guessed the truth.

His strangely colored eyes were blunt and mockingly disrespectful as he leaned closer to her and gave her a long penetrating look. "You aren't like the _rest_ of those money-loving dicks, you _care_ about people."

Hinata's lips turned down slowly in confusion as he made it sound like that was a bad thing. "It is what we are supposed to do, we are commanded to treat people with respect and love one another," she reminded him in a small voice

"The fuck we are," Hidan muttered irately as he leaned back in his seat with a harsh and almost crazy- sounding laugh.

Hinata's eyes flew toward Itachi as if giving him a silent plea for help. The abrasive man next to her was obviously insane.

"Hidan, doesn't serve the same god that you do," Itachi explained before sending a warning look to his old classmate to keep it civil or else.

"Damn right I don't and Jashin despises your religion," Hidan told her in an irascible sounding voice. "And its followers, they are all so fucking meek and forgiving they make me want to vomit."

Bristling with indignation, Hinata was just about to tell him how mean and cruel she thought his god sounded when Ino and Kisame came up behind them. Ino recognized Hidan and quickly rescued Hinata by dragging her off to the bathroom.

Kisame pulled up a chair and joined his old friends. Well, he joined Itachi anyway; he didn't actually consider Hidan to be a friend. He drew the line at calling homicidal, religious fanatics friends of his.

Hidan whistled under his breath as he watched the two females walk away, "That's one hot looking piece of ass you got there Kisame, too bad she is a shallow bitch who is only interested in you for your money."

Kisame shrugged, "So, what's your point?"

Pissed that he wasn't able to rile up the lawyer, he moved onto Itachi. "The one you are seeing is about as deluded and idiotic as a person can get," he stated before standing up and sending him an inexplicable look. "If you ever want to get rid of the angelic bitch, I'd be willing to take her off your hands."

With those parting words he turned and began to leave.

"I will see you in hell first," Itachi said coolly to his departing back.

Hidan smiled serenely and kept on walking and wondered if the smug prick would let him officiate at his wedding one day.

With her make-up and hair all repaired and her optimistic mood restored, she listened to just how madly in love with Kisame her friend was. As she headed back toward the table her eyes met Itachi's and felt her heart skip a beat.

It was strange how this evening had brought them closer, it was the kind of closeness people feel when they have survived something horrible together.

The evening had been nothing if not horrible and strange. Still, she realized there must be some sort of freakish streak within her nature, because she found she wouldn't have missed any of it for the world.

When she came up to him she saw Kisame had taken her chair and was surprised when Itachi reached up and pulled her down onto his lap. Her face became flushed and her nervous system began to feel as if it was ready to overload when one of his arms slid around her waist almost casually.

Her eyes met Ino's and her friend winked at her before whispering something into Kisame's ear and tugging him out of his chair. "Come on Kisame, there is dancing in the other room."

The lawyer smirked hugely before sending her a heated look. "Fine I'll dance with you but it is going to cost you later."

"I don't mind," Ino replied softly and felt herself growing warm all over and her mouth became dry as sandpaper as she smiled limply back at him. His sexy, gravelly voice and hard eyes and chiseled abs had been driving her fucking insane all night.

Ino was almost purring when he pulled her into his arms and danced her into a dark corner. She tilted her head back sensuously before placing her hands around his face and meeting his eyes.

"You are a very good dancer," she said in a conversational voice trying to put the brakes on the wild attraction that was raging between them. They were in a public place after all.

Kisame pulled her closer and slid his hand possessively down her back. "I am good at other things as well," he implied suggestively.

Ino released a shaky breath and by sheer force of will only, kept herself together. "Two more dances and then we can go."

"One more dance," Kisame bargained before giving her a slow and intimate smile.

Ino pouted, as much as she wanted to leave with him, she wanted to stay also. Just being here at this party meant a lot to her and her eyes pleaded with him to understand her.

"Fine, we will dance a few more times and then we will leave."

Ino gave him a dazzling smile before wrapping her arms around his neck.

After Ino and Kisame had left, Hinata reluctantly moved over to one of the vacant chairs. She shivered slightly and pulled her black and whispery light wrap a little more snuggly around her shoulders. Unfortunately it was too thin to help much.

"Cold?" Itachi asked her with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Only a little," Hinata admitted with a smile at him.

He scooted closer to her and picked up her hand, "Do you want to dance?"

Hinata's eyes shot up to his almost anxiously, because she had been hoping no one would ask her to tonight. "No, thank you," she responded miserably and began rubbing her arms.

Itachi frowned and was surprised by her refusal; he thought all women liked to dance. His eyes watched her closely for several moments before he saw something was clearly bothering her.

Hinata sighed and lifted her eyes up to his, "It's not that I don't want to, it's just…I don't know how."

Itachi stood up and held out his hand to her. "I will teach you," he offered with quiet implacability and looked at her with calm dark eyes.

Hinata's heart began to hammer behind her ribs. In slow motion, her hand reached toward his, her fingers sliding into his warm handclasp.

Trying desperately to cover up her reaction to him she joked, "Okay, I will try it, but if I step all over your feet - don't say I didn't warn you."

He turned and grinned at her and Hinata felt like she couldn't breathe. Something subtle was changing between them and it felt so tangible to her she couldn't stop it from happening even if she wanted to.

Following just slightly behind him as he led her across the dance floor she was overjoyed when he led her to a small anteroom just off of the main ball room. After stepping inside she was even more grateful when she found it was blessedly free of people.

This way no one would witness her impromptu dance lesson.

In the distance, Hinata could hear the slow tempo of the music and watched as he kept the door open just a tad so they could still hear it. Hinata took off her loose wrap and placed it over a chair so it wouldn't get in the way. She no longer needed it and was plenty warm enough now.

Turning around she gasped when his strong hands clasped her arms and stopped her from running into him. Leaning her head back slightly she saw he was standing so close their bodies were almost touching one another.

She could feel her hands tremble a little as she wiped them down the front of her gown.

"Place your hands around my waist," he told her as she felt his warm hands settle around her bare shoulders. Hinata's eyes closed slowly on their own accord as placed her hands on his waist.

"Now move with me," he instructed softly as he stared down at her.

She moved her foot and her eyes jolted open after she stepped on his shoe.

"Sorry," she whispered and moved over to the side and accidentally stepped on his other foot.

"Oops."

Itachi looked down at her with an amused light in his eyes. "It's alright, you are not injuring me."

Hinata looked down at their feet and grinned ruefully when she saw he was right. His feet were much more likely to inflict damage on hers were in the flimsy sandals she was wearing.

"Look at me, Hinata." Itachi said in a low, unfamiliar voice that sent tingles of apprehensive excitement racing up her spine.

Obediently, Hinata dragged her eyes up to his and saw he was growing impatient with her. She released a deep breath that nearly turned into a yelp when she felt his hand press against her back pulling her body into direct contact with his.

"Now, listen to the music and move with me. I do not want you to move your feet at all," he directed her.

"Okay," She said with a soft smile as she leaned forward and rested her face against his chest. His nearness was making her feel kind of awkward and shy and Hinata found it was a lot easier than staring into his eyes.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the scent of him that was indelibly his and felt her body slowly begin to grow more pliable and relaxed as she gave into the music and swayed back and forth with him.

It wasn't long before she learned how to move her feet so she wouldn't step all over him.

She looked up at him with a delighted grin. "I'm dancing," she said with a thread of awe shining in her voice.

Itachi looked down into her sparkling eyes and was glad that his teaching her to dance had made her so happy. Although, he wished he could say he had been completely altruistic in his motives when he offered. But he knew he had acted mostly out pure unadulterated selfishness.

Since the moment he saw her earlier in the evening he had wanted her in his arms. He craved the feel of her against him, her taste…

"What are you thinking when you look at me that way?" Hinata asked him with a breathless catch in her voice.

Itachi was taken aback a little, he had no idea he had been revealing so much of his thoughts to her. He smiled – a slow, lazy smile that made her heart leap into her throat. "I'm thinking about kissing you."

_Kissing me_, a mental picture of couples on television locked in wickedly hot and sensual embraces came into her mind and her eyes opened wide as she watched him begin to slowly lower his head.

Without the slightest clue what she was doing, she tilted her head back and parted her lips in anticipation.

Taking her actions as consent, Itachi closed the gap between their mouths and lightly brushed his lips over hers. It was so light and undemanding, it surprised her, she had expected it to be a lot…well…different.

Bewildered, Hinata stared up at him as he still held her in his arms and was looking at her as if he was deciding if doing anything else was a wise idea or not.

Smiling with relief, Hinata pressed her face helplessly against his chest. She had definitely _not _been ready to experience the kind of kissing she had seen on television.

"Is that all there is to kissing?" She asked with a grin before a frown flitted over her face as she added, "somehow I had expected it to be more…um, I don't know how to say it, um more…"

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "More?"

Hinata nodded with an embarrassed laugh and hid her face in his shirt again and practically whispered, "You know, more, um…passionate, like they do on TV."

"Passionate? TV?" He repeated and bit back a laugh. Tipping her chin up, he gazed into those wide and luminous eyes of hers and tenderness began to unfold in him in a way he had never experienced before he had met this unspoiled, unpredictable angel-woman.

"I didn't think you were ready for anything…more," he murmured softly as his lips hovered just over hers, his eyes searched hers closely.

Hinata looked up at him and suddenly felt more alive and frightened than she had ever been before. Her body felt strange as if she were beginning to melt and float inside. It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for more," she whispered and for once wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or not. Her treacherous body was growing warm and pliant and she felt an overwhelming temptation to yield to the subtle pressure of his hand and move closer to him.

Itachi made the decision for both of them and his lips took hers in a kiss that was nothing like the first one. His mouth slanted over hers with aching tenderness, smoothing his lips back and forth over hers, subtly increasing the pressure of each stroke until her lips parted beneath his.

Lost in a sea of sweet sensation as his lips tasted and explored hers, Hinata slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging for support and completely ignored the little voice in her head that was telling her that angels were not supposed to be doing this.

The door opened and a tearful Ino rushed in and Hinata stepped away from him as though in a daze.

Belatedly, Ino realized she had interrupted them. "Sorry," she said before she put her face in her hands and seemed to be just as angry as she was upset.

"Ino what happened?" Hinata asked her as she put her arm around her.

"I am such an idiot, I mentioned Sakura's name and I had to tell him about my friendship with her," the blonde explained in a choked voice.

"Kisame hates her," Itachi supplied in an unsympathetic voice.

"So, I found out," Ino said with a bitter, mirthless laugh. "And now he thinks I am just like her and he doesn't want to see me anymore."

Hinata gave an apologetic look to Itachi before she began leading her out toward the entrance. "Come on, we'll take you home."

On the way to Ino's apartment, Itachi listened to Ino alternately cry on Hinata's shoulder and then get pissed off at Kisame and he realized his friend was being a complete ass. So he pulled out his phone and began to text him.

They texted back and forth and by the time they finally dropped the blonde off at her apartment Itachi had a message to give her. He showed her the text from Kisame telling him to let Ino know he would stop by her place tomorrow so they could talk.

Ino flashed him a dazzling smile and hugged Hinata before she ran inside of her apartment.

As the car started to pull out into traffic again, Hinata turned to him with a curious look on her face, "What did you say to him to make him change his mind?"

"I told him he was being an ass and I reminded him that you like and consider her to be a good person and he trusted your judgment."

Hinata was warmed by his words as she looked over at him and could tell little by little he was changing. The man she had met a few weeks ago wouldn't have bothered if a friend of his was messing up his life, but the man he was today, cared enough to get involved.

"It was nice of you to help her," Hinata said softly as her eyes shone with a grateful light before she yawned behind her hand.

Itachi shrugged uncomfortably before he reached over and put his arm around her so she could lean against his chest and rest.

Hinata closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him. "I had fun tonight," she told him in a sleepy voice.

Looking down at her as he held her in his arms, Itachi was forced to agree. He wasn't sure if he could call the evening fun, but it was certainly interesting.

**Author's Note:** This chapter was a lot of fun, but it took me almost two straight days of working on it to finish it. I am thinking there are two more chapters to go before it is finished.

Special thanks to:

Mezumi Azuma: Lol, I think he finally gave up and gave into temptation. Thanks.

In love with your stories: Thanks for reading and I hope you liked this last chapter.

Diamond: I know, I just love Itahina too. I think their personalities are perfect for one another.

Dark Moon Maiden: I hope you enjoyed the party scene and to be honest I am still not sure what I am going to do about Sakura. In the beginning I just wanted to get her away from all of them as fast as possible lol.

Let's Play Funeral: Surgery? Oh dear, I hope you are doing better. I am sorry I haven't been reviewing much either, my life has been suckishly busy lately:(

KagomeMarie: LOL (I love your pithy language) Where would all of us be without denial? I hoped you liked this chapter ha, ha.

Fanofthisfiction: I always love your reviews because you always go so deep into the characters emotions and help keep me on track. Thanks so much!

Trueblade Hinata: I am glad you liked the last chapter where they played in the snow. Those types of scenes are fluffy and feel like dessert to me. Thanks.

Lady Crack: You are so awesome and lol. I agree completely, I would have traded places with Hinata in that scene in a heartbeat. I hope you liked this chapter as well.

Sepsis: Thanks, writing her this way is a lot of fun. Hinata is just such an adorable character.

Jay-Boogie: Thanks and I hoped you liked this one as well:)

Dude like ninja: I love your name, thanks so much for letting me know you liked the last chapter!

Xalgoz: So, if you predicted today that I was going to update, I am so going to laugh. Anyway, I love Ino too. Even though Kishimoto tries to lump her in with Sakura and all her f'd up drama, I just think she is a way better character than Sakura is and like Hinata, doesn't get enough screen-time imo. Thanks.

UzumakiHinata167: Aww thanks, you are so nice. I hope you liked this new chapter too.

In your dreams as well: I hoped you liked the party scene, it was loads of fun to write about it.

Catriana: Well, I am almost finished. I hoped you liked this last chapter. They are definitely getting closer, thanks for your support!

Echo Uchiha: I am glad you liked the last chapter, it was "sweet" of you to let me know:)


	13. Chapter 13

**Christmas Miracle**

**~13~ **

* * *

**Holiday Timeline:** December 22, 2010

**Author's Note:** I haven't forgotten this story; I just got a little distracted with life. Sorry:(

* * *

The combined smell of fresh paint and hot chicken soup assailed his nostrils as he stepped through the newly replaced front door of the women's shelter. Scanning the large commons room with a detailed eye, Itachi was pleased to see all of the improvements that had been done over the past few days.

His eyebrows lifted slightly when he saw Ino, in the corner, dressed immaculately as always, was giving a frazzled young mother a manicure.

Just a few tables away from her, Kisame sat with his knees sticking up over a small table in a child-sized chair next to Jonas and a couple of other young children. His shark-like lawyer was teaching them how to cut out snowflakes with the ease of one who was unexpectedly comfortable around children.

As he continued towards the back of the room, Itachi realized he should be surprised to see self-absorbed people like them helping out at such a humble place, but he wasn't. Hinata had that effect on everyone who met her. She had a way of making people around her want to become better, more decent human beings.

Even him.

For example, in the past week he had donated well over ten million dollars to assorted charities and homeless shelters all over the city. Not only that, he had just pulled an all-nighter and finished all of his work, allowing him to shut down his business for the next four days, and give all of his over-worked employees time off with their families.

In the past few days he has served soup, painted storage rooms, held crying babies and interacted with more strangers than he ever had in his whole life for no other reason than because he knew it would make her happy.

His eyes searched for her and nearing the kitchen storeroom he heard a loud thud, a grunt like someone hitting the floor, and saw a plume of white smoke rising like a giant mushroom cloud and he knew exactly where she was.

If he believed in such nonsense, which he didn't, he would say Hinata seemed to be someone born under an unlucky star. Since he had met her, disasters and chaos often followed in her path. At his house alone, she had broken so many dishes, spilled things and started fires in his kitchen that Mrs. Green banned her completely.

The corner of his lip quirked in amusement when he reached the doorway, and watched as she helped the dazed shelter administrator to her feet. They were both covered from head to toe in flour and shimmered in the late afternoon light like ghosts.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Davis," Hinata said apologizing profusely while flitting around and wiping the older lady off with ineffectual swipes of her hand. "Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Oh no, dear, I am just fine," Mrs. Davis answered her in a normal voice as if getting knocked to the ground and doused by a whole bag of flour was an everyday occurrence.

Itachi watched the scene with a cynical eye, knowing because of the million dollars he had donated to the shelter, Hinata could have probably lit the woman on fire and she still wouldn't have made a big deal about it.

To the administrators and people who worked in the shelters and charities all over town, Hinata was beloved, like a patron saint and she could do no wrong in their eyes.

"Hinata dear," Mrs. Davis said kindly with a slight edge to her voice while shuffling her off toward the door. "Why don't you go get cleaned up, there is a young woman here from Kenya and she doesn't speak very much English. I told her you would be right with her."

"Um, okay," she said with one more apologetic look before turning to go into the staff room to change her clothes. Looking up she saw Itachi standing in front of her, flawlessly dressed as always, staring at her with an amused look on his face.

"Itachi," she breathed out in surprise while giving him a radiant smile, she had missed him because he had worked all night and most of today at the office. Last night she had to watch television all by herself after Jonas had gone to bed and she had felt terribly lonely.

She sneezed and her smile dimmed and she began to chew on her bottom lip when she realized what an awful mess she was right now all covered in flour and how he had witnessed another one of her screw ups.

"Hinata, I will go see if I can help her, while you get cleaned up, then when we are done, we will go home," he said to her with a warmth in his eyes that made her heart feel like soaring.

"Alright," she said feeling a bit lighter as she turned to leave. She loved how he never made her feel bad about herself whenever she messed up. He usually just helped her to clean up whatever disaster she had created and then never mentioned it again.

Unlike her cousin, Neji, he never yelled at her or condemned her. He just seemed to accept her the way she was, even though it was the exact opposite of him.

Her mind began to think of how it felt when he held her and kissed her, she was finding she didn't mind being a human quite as much as she used to.

Humming a little holiday song to herself she began to wash up and change her clothes.

Meanwhile, it only took Itachi a few minutes to figure out what the woman needed, even with the language barrier. She was visiting from Kenya and someone had stolen her purse, with her money and airline ticket in it. She still had her passport and had been in touch with the Kenyan embassy, but she needed a new ticket and a place to stay until her situation was resolved. Still, just to be sure he waited with her until Hinata was available talk to her.

* * *

Patting her braided hair one more time Hinata was dismayed when specks of flour dusted her clean clothes and she couldn't wait to get home and take a long, hot shower. Deciding for once to make this visit quick, she opened the door and greeted the young woman from Kenya with a smile. Noticing the pretty necklace around her neck, her eyes were drawn to the pendant on the end of it and her cheerful greeting died in her throat.

Standing still as a statue, the color drained from Hinata's face as she recognized the tribal symbol in the center of the stone pendant. It was like an ancient yellow cross with a blue flame around it. Remembering back about 200 years ago, as though it was only yesterday to her, she had been one of the angels assigned to watch over one of the village leaders. His name was Peter.

The memory pained her so much she wanted to fall down and prostrate herself before the young woman and beg her forgiveness.

_I'm sorry Peter, I'm so sorry_…_it was an accident;_ Hinata thoughts were filled with remorse and shame.

"Hinata?" Itachi asked her with a worried look on his face, he placed a warm hand on her shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

Taking a deep breath and valiantly pulling herself together, Hinata forced a smile to her face and murmured, "I'm sorry."

Still frowning slightly, Itachi wanted to expedite this situation and get her home quickly and find out what was going on with her. So, without any unnecessary words, he introduced her to the young woman. "Hinata, this is Mary."

At hearing her Christian name, Hinata was not surprised. Several hundred years ago a missionary had travelled with the tribe and almost everyone within it had biblical names. In Eastern Africa the indigenous group was very much an anomaly, but to Hinata they had been a precious group of people. She could still see their children being born and their happy smiling faces.

Answering back in Swahili she said, "Nice to meet you Mary, I am Hinata."

The young woman's eyes were slightly shocked at her accent and how close it was to her tribal tongue. "You speak my language very well."

"Um…I studied it a bit years ago," Hinata said vaguely answering her questioning look before saying out loud the name of the tribe, "Tupu."

The young woman looked impressed, but shook her head and replied in Swahili, "Centuries ago, our tribe was called that until about 200 years ago, now we are called, Baraka, which means…"

"Blessed," Hinata said in a shocked whisper and wondered how that could be possible. Her eyes closed in pain and she could still remember that horrible day all those years ago, she had been watching over the main village leader, Peter, while he was gathering food. It became night time and he was resting in a field, near a dried up river-bed.

Peter had just lit a torch, when her irate arch-angel cousin, Neji had appeared out of nowhere to her and started yelling at her about some mistake she had made causing her invisibility to slip. (She had never really gotten the hang of invisibility and when she was upset it tended to slip on her.)

Her assignment, Peter, was so shocked to see a shining angel standing before him; he dropped his torch and set the field ablaze. And while stumbling around in the dark trying to get away from the smoke and fire, he accidentally fell in a deep pit and Hinata could still remember the crunching sound his bones made as he landed on his head and broke his neck. She never knew what happened after that, because Neji had dragged her back to Kurenai and Heaven and she was assigned to someone else.

"For the last 200 years or so my tribe has been called, blessed," Mary explained to her in swahili. "Long ago, we had a very influential village leader, named Peter. Tribal storytellers say he was known to be a crazy man, always claiming to see god's children. I believe in English you call them…"

"Angels," Hinata supplied for her in a choked voice as she heard the story and knew that the man had accidentally seen glimpses of her. Her eyes slipped over to Itachi and she saw he was watching her closely with his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin.

"Ah yes, angels," Mary said with a laugh that clearly implied she had thought the man had most definitely been crazy. "Well, while searching for food one night, a fire had started and somehow he had fallen into a pit and died. In the morning when a search party had found him, they found next to his body an underground spring of fresh water as well as many diamonds in the earth."

Hinata's eyes grew wide and her breath sucked in as she hardly dared to believe what she was hearing.

"Since that day, the precious water from the underground spring and money we have made from selling the diamonds have provided for my people for over two centuries," Mary continued happily before adding in a low and confidential voice. "My tribe has never had to worry about drought or famine and during the wars we have remained carefully hidden and have kept this a secret from everyone."

A relieved breath escaped her, and holding back a flood of tears, Hinata thanked her in a strangled voice and ran out of the room.

Concerned, Itachi immediately thanked the young woman and covered for Hinata saying she wasn't feeling well. He took her to see Mrs. Davis so she could find her a room for a few days while the embassy got a new airline ticket for her. After that was taken care of, he ran and found Hinata in an empty office down the hall. Without a word he held open his arms and she immediately flung herself into them. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close while stroking her long, flour-coated hair, and waited patiently for her to release all of her pent up emotions.

A few minutes later she sniffled a few times and took a quivering breath before she turned gave him an odd smile, one filled with relief and strangely enough…joy.

Bewildered, Itachi could only say, "Hinata?"

Unable to stop herself and not even considering whether he would believe her or not, she told him everything the woman had just told her about the tribe, and all of her actions as an angel two hundred years ago. When she was finished, she leaned back in his arms and looked at him with an emotionally charged and relieved sigh, "You have no idea, how good it feels to know that something good came out of my horrible mistake…and poor Peter, I felt so bad when it happened…" tears threatened to burn behind her eyes again as she remembered he had been a good man who really cared for his people.

Seeing the guilt still remaining in her eyes, Itachi's hand gripped her shoulder and he pulled her tightly against him. He understood her pain and guilt very well, since he had argued with his brother only a short while before his car crash. He had never forgiven himself and always felt like he was partially responsible for his brother's death.

Taking a deep breath, for a moment he felt like sharing his burden of guilt with her, before the moment soon passed and with typical guardedness he decided some burdens are best kept unshared.

Something within him still wouldn't allow him to trust her completely, at least not yet. He wasn't sure if he ever would be able to.

"Thank you for listening to me, Itachi," Hinata said with a grateful look and as if sensing some internal conflict within him, she turned a searching gaze upon him. Using her hand she stroked his arm with the most sympathetic of touches before entwining it with his.

Sinking into the depths of her luminous eyes, he felt exposed under her gaze and turned away. At times he felt there was an ageless quality to her eyes, like she had lived too long and seen too much.

When she looked at him like she was now, Itachi could almost believe she was what she claimed to have been…an angel.

Weariness began to overtake him and he could tell his sleepless work night was catching up to him and he turned to her, "Let's go find Jonas and go home."

"Good idea," Hinata agreed, feeling terribly grubby and was dying to take a shower and become clean again. A shadow passed over her eyes as she glanced at his remote profile and wondered what was bothering him.

On the way out, while Hinata was getting Jonas ready to go home, Itachi found Kisame and told him about Mary and her tribe and asked him to find any information, tribal legends he could that would corroborate her story.

"I'll let you know what I find," Kisame said, knowing that he had several legal and illegal resources that could find information about anyone, anywhere in the world. "So, you still don't believe Hinata's claim?" he asked while looking closely over at his friend.

Itachi released a sigh, "How could I believe such a thing?"

"True," his friend had to concede, before frowning and looking over in Hinata's direction. "Still, you have to admit, she isn't like any human we've ever met before."

Itachi's eyes automatically alighted on her and he watched her smile warmly at a young pregnant woman and give her the new pair of expensive gloves he had just bought for her. A half smile touched his lips at how typical that was of her, money and possessions meant nothing, she only cared about people.

"I know, Kisame, trust me... I know."

**Author's Note:** I have missed writing for this story and have tried to finish it many times over the past year, but I kept getting stuck on this chapter. I have always known the ending of this story, but it was getting there that was the hard part for me. Please read and review or just say hi if you remember me and this story. Thanks.

**Note**: regarding Mary and her tribe, I found the swahili words on the internet, if I made a mistake or translated something wrong, I apologize. Baraka means blessed and Tupu means bare, I was trying to find the translation for the word barren, but I couldn't find it so this word was close enough:)


	14. Chapter 14

**Christmas Miracle**

**~14~**

* * *

**Holiday timeline: December 24, 2010 (Christmas Eve)**

* * *

The snow was starting to fall lightly when he finally brought his Cadillac Escalade to a full stop, realizing he couldn't go any further. He would have to hike the rest of the way up.

It was late morning and while getting out of the shiny black SUV, his breath turned foggy from the chill of the cool mountain air. His eyes scanned around the well beloved area in the Catskills Mountains and he noticed some of the trees had grown taller, fuller. It was only a few hours out of the city, so he and his brother used to come up here often to ski in the winter, and to hike in the summer.

It was near here where he had scattered his little brother's ashes in the forest. Since that bleak day he had left Sasuke up here, he had not been back since. It had simply been too painful for him to even try it.

Itachi took a long ragged breath before heading out. There was a lot he wanted to talk to his brother about, and he felt coming here on the anniversary of his death was the appropriate thing to do.

As he hiked along the steep trail his thoughts automatically began to turn toward Hinata and Jonas. The two of them had gotten up early with him and were in the process of making enormous mountains of Christmas cookies with Mrs. Green's help to take to as many of the shelters and homeless as they could find. Their early morning activities made the house full of laughter and the scent of warm buttery cookies and cinnamon hung in the air.

They had both been sad when he told them there was something he had to take care of and wouldn't be home until this afternoon. After he had hugged Jonas and tasted one of his Christmas tree cookies with sprinkles, and complimented him on it, he pulled Hinata out into the hallway by the front entrance to have a moment of privacy with her.

"I wish you didn't have to go," she said a little wistfully as she looked up at him.

"I won't be gone long," he promised before taking his finger and wiping an errant streak of green frosting from off of her face.

The fact that she was still finding it absolutely impossible to stay clean all of the time made her smile apologetically up at him. While her clear grey eyes drifted over his face she noted as usual, he looked perfect, not a hair out of place. The only thing that seemed different was there was a stray glimmer of tension in his eyes that made her wonder what he had to go do this morning. From the remote way he was carrying himself she didn't think it was going to be anything fun or pleasant.

Reaching out she placed a gentle hand along the smooth jawline of his face, "I'll miss you today,"

Her hand was so warm and comforting against his skin he felt his eyes close on their own accord. Under her touch he felt he was increasingly becoming putty in her hands.

Opening his eyes he watched her smile softly at him with her dark shiny hair framing her face and felt a reaction like she had just punched him in the stomach. Almost desperately he reached for her, threading his fingers through her long hair and curving them around the base of her head.

A small noise of approval left him when he saw her tilt her face sweetly up to him as she was beginning to learn what was coming next. Over the past few days he had been going very slowly with her, teaching her to become comfortable with being touched, because she just didn't seem to understand what intimacy between a man and a woman was all about.

His lips touched hers once, just tasting her. Then kissed her again…his fingers were tense against the nape of her neck. He craved her, and longed to taste more of her. She moved closer and tentatively slid her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

Feeling like he was finally reaching her, he opened his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. When she began to press against him and her mouth innocently softened under his he felt his restraint begin to be tested, before it finally broke.

Pressing her body against the wall, his lips moved over hers, they were taut with desire and need as his tongue twined hungrily with hers.

A burgeoning passion began to grow in her as she began to need more of him, her mouth and body felt strangely greedy and full of yearning, as if they were longing to have more of him.

_This… isn't… right_, her sluggish conscience tried to remind her. Angels aren't supposed to feel greed or desire a human this much or at all… for that matter.

Itachi's arms wrapped around her even tighter to him, pulling her against him and his warmth began to surround her like the sun used to when she would float among the clouds. Thoughts of who or what she used to be were starting to become a distant dream, like something that had happened to her far in the past or in another lifetime.

Rebellion and a sense of freedom began to take root in her spirit anchoring herself to this world as she kissed him back with more love and longing than she knew she was supposed to feel. She decided if her supervisor would allow her, she would happily stay on earth with him the rest of her life.

Lifting his head from her with a ragged breath, Itachi said, "I should probably go now." He looked down at her sweetly flushed skin and luminous eyes filled with desire and forced himself to step back from her before he did something that would probably frighten her.

Hinata looked down at the ground and controlled her breathing, she found she was gradually becoming more comfortable when he would touch and kiss her. It felt so right and natural to her, she was having a hard time seeing anything wrong with loving him back.

"Okay, I will see you later," she said to him while following him to a hall closet where he was searching for a warm ski jacket and some thick gloves to wear.

After he chose the dark blue one and black gloves, he gave her an apologetic look, "I will try to be back before dinner time."

For a moment Hinata stared into his eyes before nodding, "Jonas and I will be waiting for you," she promised with a small sad smile. Just as he was turning to leave, she remembered something and yelled out, "Itachi wait, I have something for you."

With his hand still on the door he turned and looked at her with calmly expectant eyes.

Stepping forward she gave him a crooked smile as she handed the plastic baggie to him of freshly made cookies. "I decorated these myself, just for you."

"Thank you," he told her as his eyes scanned the contents quickly, he noted with some amusement, they were all shaped like angels, and they were all starting to clump together into one big cookie because of the sticky frosting.

The feel of the plastic baggie against his hand in his pocket brought his mind back to his current location. The hill he was climbing was gradually growing steeper and even with his excellent hiking boots on, his footing was becoming less sure as the ground began to grow slick with ice and snow.

Seeing a large rough-hewn boulder up ahead, he knew he was getting close to his destination. Deep inside he really didn't want to continue the trek up there knowing just how painful it was going to be for him, it would be like opening up a wound that had never fully healed all of the way. But even so, in his heart he knew it was something he needed to do. Because if he wanted to start a new life, he would have to try to heal some of the wounds of his past one.

* * *

It only took him another fifteen minutes before he made it to the top of the hillside. His eyes took in the familiar landscape and he felt a rush of raw emotions creep over him tightening his throat.

This was his brother's favorite place when he was alive, they came up here often. The view from up here was stunning and it was possible to see in the distance for miles. On the one side of the hill was a craggy ravine with a river below it and on the other side was the edge of a rather dense forest.

Itachi's footsteps were slow and heavy with sorrow as he stepped toward the snow covered area near the ravine where he had cast his brother's ashes.

Once there, he fell to his knees as the emotions he felt were still as raw as they were four years ago. The loss of his little brother was something he knew he was never truly going to get over.

"Sasuke," Itachi whispered in a choked voice. "Can you hear me brother?"

He went still and listened for several moments and noticed for the first time there was a serenity lingering over this place, that he had never sensed before. He wondered if that was one of the reasons his brother loved the area so much.

Itachi's lip quirked sadly as he thought about his brother, and serenity and peace weren't words he would have ever used to describe him. Sasuke had been like a bright shining bolt of lightning that was intertwined with darkness. He had been on a path to achieving great things before his life had been cut too short.

_I wish it had been me, not you brother._

Hot, scalding tears began to form behind his eyes only to have Itachi painfully stifle them back. He would not cry in front of his brother's final resting place, because Sasuke would not want him to do it.

Instead he began to tell his little brother about his life and some of the things he had accomplished over the past four years. When he got to Jonas, his heart began to clench as he lifted his eyes upward and said in a raw voice, "I am sorry I haven't taken better care of your son for you. After you had gone…I thought he would be better off with his mother, but I am starting to regret my decision. I have decided to try to gain legal custody of him. When I die someday, I will leave my business to him."

For several moments he remained silent, over the falling snow he could tell by the light in the sky it was around noon time. He felt he should try to leave soon so he could get back to Jonas and Hinata.

Thinking of her, his lips quirked a bit as he had to ask his brother, "Did you really send her to me?"

Silence answered him (of course) and Itachi shook his head when he realized some of Hinata's fanciful ways were starting to rub off on him. After spending so much time with her, the idea that she used to be an angel didn't seem to be as far-fetched as it used to be. She really wasn't even remotely like anyone else he had ever met, that in itself bore witness to her story.

He knew he would probably never know the whole truth about her, but he found he no longer cared. As long as she never left his side for the rest of their lives that would be good enough for him.

Itachi cleared his throat as he lifted darkly emotional eyes to the sky, "I just want to say thank you Sasuke." He pulled a ring box out of his pocket and opened it and lifted it skyward. "I am going to ask her tonight," he stated in a solemn voice before shoving the little box back into his pocket to keep it safe.

After a few more moments of silence, Itachi promised his brother he would bring Hinata up there next summer, before he turned quietly to leave.

His trek down the rough hillside was a lot faster than when he had climbed up it. He was anxious to return home and spend the rest of the evening with them. He had also planned a special holiday dinner to be catered for all of them and then after Jonas was tucked into bed, he was planning to spend the rest of the evening alone with Hinata and ask her to marry him.

Itachi was carefully navigating a thin steep trail near the ravine when a small gray rabbit darted out in front of him causing him to lose his footing and slip on the snow and ice. Unable to stop his momentum, or grab onto anything, his body slid over the side of the cliff…

* * *

**Author's Note:** I took a small break from working on Kismet to update this one. My goal is to finish both of them within the next few weeks. Sorry to leave all of you with a cliffie (literally) I will try my best to update it as soon as possible. Please leave me a review; I would really love to hear from all of you!

**Naruto Shippuden Anime episode 335:** Damn, it won't be released and subbed until next Thursday. I hate it when they do that.


	15. Chapter 15

**Christmas Miracle**

**~15~**

* * *

The feel of cold, damp snow against his face woke him up. When he tried to move he felt a sharp, jagged pain in his head that felt strangely leaden and heavy. When he opened his eyes he saw his ski jacket and jeans were completely covered with white fluffy snow and it was growing ominously dark.

He ignored the shooting pain in his head and his eyes scanned around the sky and estimated he only had about fifteen minutes of daylight left, at best. While he was still lying down he did the best he could to assess himself by moving each body part individually to see if he had any injuries. When he moved to sit up he felt a searing pain come over his back and side and realized that was probably the area of his body that had absorbed the most impact from the fall. A grim shudder went through him when he looked up and saw he had fallen at least 25 feet down.

He had a feeling it was the super heavy-duty fleece ski-jacket he was wearing, along with the packed snow already on the ledge that helped to save his life. Sitting up slowly, he took off his gloves and when he felt around the side of his head he found it was sticky and wet with blood.

The way his head felt he figured he probably had a concussion. But he had far more critical problems than that to deal with, such as climbing up the side of cliff. His eyes narrowed in desperation as they searched around for a foothold or a pathway up.

The ledge he was on was about fifteen feet in length and three feet in width at its thickest spot. The cliff next to him was steep and rocky, but it was covered with snow so it was difficult to find safe footholds and craggy rocks to hold onto. And since he didn't have a rope or even a cell phone (he had left it in the vehicle) his situation was becoming more dire and precarious by the minute.

The biting cold stung his hands as he kept reaching out to find something to clasp, to give him a clear path up the cliff. If he wanted to stay alive he needed to climb because it was at least a sixty foot drop to the river down below and not even he with his superb skill in rock climbing would attempt that without a rope in these conditions.

It was with some trepidation he reached up and attempted to climb, he had made it only five feet up when he lost his footing and fell back down to the ledge. His eyes shifted desperately around and as he kept feeling around trying to find a safe way up the cliff.

After about fifteen minutes his visibility was almost down to zero and the snow was starting to fall even harder. Hinata's and Jonas's faces flashed before him, he had to get home to them.

"Sasuke, help me brother," he said as he kept trying, but as darkness began to fall, he was running out of options…and hope.

* * *

The massive apartment was vibrantly aglow with sparking lights and holiday cheer, but the occupants who were seated for a sumptuous feast, were not. Their lovely dinner, with all of the holiday fixings, sat there growing cold, fats congealing and less appetizing by the second.

Hinata cast a worried look at Jonas and then at the clock. It had just turned eight o'clock and it had been at least an hour ago she had given up trying to tell him his uncle should be home any minute now. Whenever she tried to call Itachi, it went straight to his voicemail. And since the office was completely shut down, there was no one there except for a few security guards and none of them had seen him today.

_Where are you Itachi?_

"Hinata, I'm really worried," Jonas said and his eyes were huge in his face. His puppy, Buddy, came and whimpered at his feet under the table. Needing to hold something warm for comfort he slid down to the floor and began to cuddle him.

Hinata looked at him and felt a sting of tears behind her eyes. It was Christmas Eve, he should be having fun, and they should be laughing like they did earlier.

She released a harsh sigh, and hid her face in her hands. If something happened to him, she didn't think she could bear it. She was his angel and she should have protected him, but as usual, she had failed.

_Please come home Itachi, we need you, I need you._

In her pocket, her cell phone began to ring. Her and Jonas immediately looked at it with hopeful eyes, but their faces fell when they saw it was only Kisame calling.

Hinata's voice cracked emotionally when she answered it, "Kisame?"

"I got your message Hinata, you say he left this morning and you haven't been able to reach him all day?" His gravelly voice recounted over the phone.

"Yes, he left to go somewhere this morning…but he hasn't come home or called. I'm so worried…" Hinata's voice broke as unshed tears clogged her throat.

"Ino and I will be right over. I promise I will try to track him down for you Hinata," his concerned, but reassuring voice promised her.

"Thank you Kisame, I will call you if I hear anything," she said and she wasn't able to stifle a few tears.

Jonas climbed onto her lap, "I think we should pray, Hinata."

"Okay," she agreed as she held him close to her and they began to pray…

* * *

It was completely dark and bitingly cold. Itachi was sitting with his back against the cliff, and had given up trying to climb over an hour ago. It was too slippery and dark for him to continue trying.

His fingers clasped around the ring box almost reflexively in his pocket and he didn't even bother to open it, it was too dark for him to see it anyway. Feeling the box in his hand was a painful reminder of a happy future that he may not live long enough to see.

He put it back in his pocket and put his arms around his face to block the frigid air. The wind was starting to whip through the area and he was completely exposed as there was no shelter for him on the ledge.

He sighed, thinking it was ironic that a few short months ago he didn't care if he lived or died, but now he had someone to live for…he could almost see the grim humor in the situation.

Almost.

In his pocket, he pulled out the plastic baggie and smelled the cookies, they reminded him of this morning and he could almost feel the warmth of the moment. Jonas handing him a cookie, with a huge grin on his face and Hinata telling him to wait, before she handed him the baggie of cookies with her typical dazzling smile. Somehow, miraculously, the gummed up with frosting cookies survived the fall in tact and seeing that made them too precious to eat so he put them back inside of his coat pocket.

He hid his face in his hands and could only think of one other time in his life when he felt more desolate. It was four years ago on Christmas Eve…the night Sasuke died.

Light began to infiltrate between his fingertips. It was a heavy and penetrating with the massive power of a flood light. He tried to remove his hand completely, but found it was too bright for him to do so completely. So shielding his eyes he looked and caught a glimpse something that momentarily stunned him.

"An angel," Itachi said coolly with a frown.

"I'm an arch-angel," the heavenly being snapped oppressively as though he was highly affronted by being called an angel.

Itachi was growing used to the brightness and was able to observe the "arch-angel" a little more closely and he had to admit the being in front of him was the most splendid, awe-inspiring thing he had ever witnessed.

The divine being sighed impatiently and crossed his arms as if he could care less if he rescued the wretched person in front of him or not. "I'm Neji, Hinata's cousin."

Itachi's eyes opened wide for a moment realizing she hadn't been lying, but had been telling the truth all along. His voice was calm as he said, "Well if you are here to rescue me, then tell me what I need to do."

Neji's regard for the frail human in front of him increased a notch, usually in this situation people were freaking out at the sight of him. Still, his eyes were hard and piercing as he took a menacing step forward. "What are your intentions toward my cousin? I've been watching you, and you have been defiling her by putting your hands on her. Close relations between angels and humans are strictly forbidden."

Undaunted, Itachi countered. "I was taught all angels were created as individuals, without family ties, yet you claim to be her cousin, how can that be?"

"Fine, I am not really her cousin," Neji conceded reluctantly with a stony look on his divinely radiant face. "We have similar features, so others started calling us cousins. You still haven't answered my question, human."

"I love her and I want to marry her," Itachi responded simply.

For a moment Neji's eyes were like piercing daggers as he looked deeply into the heart of the man in front of him. They softened a little before he stated flatly, "It appears she has succeeded in her mission, I doubt they will let her stay on earth now."

Fear clenched Itachi's heart as the thought of losing her was unthinkable to him. "I need to see her again."

"Come along, human, I will rescue you for her sake," Neji said as he as a pathway up the cliff miraculously lit up. "Start climbing, I will not let you fall."

Even though his head was heavy with pain and every muscle in his body was stiff with cold, Itachi didn't hesitate as he started the steep and slippery ascent up the side of the cliff. He knew even though Hinata's cousin did not like him, he would not let him fall.

* * *

Another hour went by and Hinata was becoming increasingly frantic with worry, Kisame and Ino came over and they were a big source of comfort to both of them. Kisame kept himself busy on the phone calling the police and also using satellite to locate Itachi's vehicle.

His phone rang and a grim smile came over his face a few moments later as he said, "Hinata they found his vehicle, it is in the Catskills Mountains, I should have known he would go visit the site where he spread his brother's ashes today."

"Did they find him?" She asked as she could feel the blood begin to drain from her face.

Kisame shook his head slowly, his voice was threaded with worry as he said, "They have helicopters out searching the area."

Jonas clasped his arms around her waist and looked up at her with innocent eyes. "He'll be fine, Hinata, we prayed about it... remember."

"You're right, Jonas, thanks," she told the little boy and felt herself begin to calm down. She knew she was prone to making mistakes, but she knew someone who wasn't, and she called on him to help her.

"Neji, please help him, please bring him back to me."

"Who's Neji?" Ino asked.

"My cousin," she said with a touch of awe in her voice. Though she had known him for thousands of years, he still kind of scared the crap out of her.

"Is he an angel?" Jonas asked.

Hinata shook her head and said, "He's an arch-angel."

Ino came over and hugged her soothingly, thinking she was going off the deep end. While Jonas frowned in a puzzled manner, but accepted what she was saying absolutely.

"Do you think he will help Uncle Itachi?"

Hinata wasn't sure if he would, it wasn't something he normally did. He was more of a warrior than he was a servant to assist humans.

"I hope so, Jonas," she said softly.

"Please Neji, just this once…for me…" she spoke in an audible voice and hoped he heard her.

* * *

Neji heard her call out to him as he watched the frail human slowly climb unassisted up the steep cliff, and it bothered him to hear the worry in her voice. She should have known he wouldn't let anything happen to someone who was precious to her. Her time on earth was obviously making her faith weak, perhaps it was time for her to come back home where she belonged.

Still as he looked at the man in front of him he had to admit, he was a strong individual. He didn't act all meek and mewling, crying for help; instead he just needed help in finding the pathway up. He also seemed to understand that he wouldn't let him fall and didn't hesitate. The only thing that seemed to matter to him was getting back to Hinata.

When Itachi reached the top, Neji was up there waiting for him with his hand extended and he pulled him up over the edge.

"I personally think Hinata should come back home where she belongs, but if she ends up staying on earth with you. I think you could possibly be worthy of her one day," he admitted begrudgingly as he dimmed some of the awesome light that shone around himself to make it more comfortable for the man in front of him.

"Thank you, if I am given the chance to, I will do my best," he said before collapsing forward in sheer exhaustion. Now that he was safe, the strength he had been carefully conserving as he climbed up the cliff finally gave out on him.

Neji cloaked himself with invisibility as he heard helicopters in the background and kept watch over the unconscious man. As soon as help arrived, he left.

"You're welcome, Cousin," he sent to Hinata so she would be able to hear him.

* * *

Hinata was still as a statue as she stood in front of the window in the living room, while she could hear Kisame and Ino talking in concerned voices behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard her cousin's voice inside of her head.

She whirled around and a relieved smile spread over her face. "He's fine, I know he is safe."

Ino and Kisame shared the kind of look people give each other when they think someone is beginning to lose touch with reality.

"Hinata, they are still looking for him," Ino reminded her very calmy.

Kisame looked at his watch. "In fact, they should be contacting us soon."

Her face was almost serene as she went over to the couch where Jonas had just fallen into a restless sort of half-sleep. Her hand was gentle as she rubbed his back and whispered, "He's safe Jonas - you can rest comfortably now."

A small innocent smile slipped over his face before he turned on his side and allowed sleep to capture him completely.

Kisame's phone rang starkly in the silent as a tomb room and everyone's heart jumped. All eyes turned desperately toward Kisame as he answered the phone.

A moment later, the look of relief on the lawyer's face was immense. "He's alright. He is injured, and they are airlifting him to the hospital right now."

It took less than five minutes before they were all loaded in Kisame's car and on their way to the hospital. Once there, the staff was enormously glad to see Hinata. Some of them recognized her from her stay there not too long ago.

"Ever since he became conscious he's been asking for you and someone named Jonas," one of the nurses told her. "He needs stitches in his head, and medicine, but he won't let anyone touch him until after he sees you."

"Jonas is his nephew," Kisame supplied.

"Take me to him, please," Hinata said almost urgently. She was starting to get an ominous feeling inside of her.

Her feet had nearly been given wings to fly as she raced toward his room, once there she didn't even knock before entering. Her eyes flew toward his dear face and she nearly sobbed in relief to see he was okay.

He was in a hospital gown and his face and lips were badly chapped and he had an open wound on the side of his head, they had been in the process of cleaning it before he made them stop. He didn't want to be given any medicine or treatment that would hinder him from seeing her. He was too afraid she would leave before he got the chance to talk to her.

"Itachi," she cried out as she nearly fell to the side of his bed.

"Hinata," he whispered out her name almost reverently. His dark eyes were desperate as they looked over her strained face and he could tell she had went through hell along with him today. "I'm sorry."

She placed her hand gently over the side of his chapped face, "What happened?"

He sighed, "I fell off the side of a cliff onto a ledge that was about 25 feet down and your cousin rescued me."

"Neji," she said emotionally and knew that there was no doubt he believed her story now.

"Yes, he showed me the way up the side of the cliff," Itachi told her before his eyes became dark with worry. His hands clutched her arm, "He said you would have to go back now."

Tears began to form behind her eyes, "I don't want to leave you. I'll try to stay if I can." Her hands were wrapped tightly around his.

"Will you marry me?" He asked in a solemn voice and Hinata was floored by the naked amount of love she saw in his eyes.

That knowledge was a double edged sword to her, as it was beautiful beyond belief to her, but also seeing it there made her realize she had accomplished her mission and may not be able to stay any longer.

Pain began to sear through her heart. "Yes, I'll marry you, if I can," she whispered achingly, she couldn't lie to him.

"Don't leave me, Hinata," Itachi said in a rough voice. His eyes were tethered to her face like she was his lifeline.

Dr. Tsunade poked her head through the door. "Come on Mr. Uchiha, it's time for you to let us stitch you up," she said in a voice that wasn't open to any opposition from him.

"Fine, but she stays," he said as he continued to hold onto Hinata's hand. He would walk out of the hospital before he let her out of his sight.

"I'll stay, Itachi," Hinata said quietly, and tried her best to give him a reassuring smile. It was hard though, she could feel that she was going to have to leave soon.

Dr. Tsunade rolled her eyes as her tech began prepping his scalp, "I didn't take you for the squeamish type, but, whatever…she can stay."

Hinata stayed with him while several stitches went into the side of his scalp. She continued to hold his hand and neither one of them took their eyes off of the other. She didn't leave him until exhaustion finally overtook him and when he was finally asleep, the call finally came to her in her mind.

Kurenai's voice began calling her home and a few seconds later she faded out and was once more back in the celestial world between Heaven and earth.

"Welcome back Hinata, you completed your mission," Kurenai told her with a peaceful smile.

Hinata saw she was once more dressed in her shining clothes, and had her beautiful gossamer wings again and hot painful tears began to pour out of her eyes.

None of these things mattered any longer, she only wanted Itachi.

**Author's Note:** I am going to try to finish this story this weekend. There is probably one maybe two chapters left to go. Thanks to everyone, especially Aurora0914, for your support. Please leave me feedback and let me know if you are still reading this story.

**Note:** I am about 3/4th done with a new chapter for A Simple Affair.


	16. Chapter 16

**Christmas Miracle**

**~16~**

* * *

**Massive thanks to: Kandita, Aruan, Guests(x3), Dimensional Roamer, KoreanGal5, fanofthisfiction, Cascade00, Sulli8989, Hina chan, silvereye1314, In your dreams, lalala, Fujisan, and aurora0914. Thanks for your reviews, I appreciate every single one of them!**

* * *

Itachi woke up in the sterile hospital room because one of the nurses took his temperature in his ear, and the beeping sound pulled him out of a restless sleep. The side of his head felt like it had been kicked in by a mule and a pained grimace swept over his face as he moved just a little. He had several small bandages on his hands and over his face.

His hand twitched when he realized it was empty, and his eyes shot open desperately in alarm.

_Hinata?_

An anguished, sick feeling of dread began to form in his gut as he asked the nurse as calmly as he possibly could. "Where's Hinata?"

The blonde nurse's blue eyes were thoughtful for a moment before she answered him, "I'm sorry, I haven't seen her all morning. I think she left sometime last night." Her eyes became very concerned as she watched a raw desolate look pass over his pale face, and she began to make notes on his chart as she began to observe him.

Itachi's eyes closed in pure misery, knowing Hinata wouldn't leave his side without being forced to.

"Can you hand me my cell phone?" He asked the nurse and he could see it was on the chair across the room.

The nurse retrieved his phone for him and continued to watch him with assessing eyes due to his head injury.

His fingers shook a little as he called her number and something within him knew she wasn't going to answer it. Pain like a dagger stabbed his heart when it went straight to her cheerful voicemail.

As if the world had somehow become a colder, darker place over night, despair began to penetrate his mind as he was beginning to feel like he was trapped in some hellish nightmare, and could feel something was horribly wrong. He had thought what had happened yesterday had been a horrific experience; today was starting to feel much worse. At least, then, she had still been a part of his world.

Suddenly he felt like he was suffocating in this small room and he needed to go home. His eyes were beginning to fill with desperation as he ripped the I.V. out of his arm and droplets of clotting blood began to drip systematically on the floor.

"What are you doing Mr. Uchiha? You should really keep that in until they discharge you, you have a severe head injury and Dr. Tsunade would like for you to stay one more day for observation purposes," the blonde nurse said with a deeply worried frown as she placed her hands firmly on her hips. She was starting to think he needed a psychiatric evaluation done on him as she observed the strange desperation in his eyes.

"Prepare the discharge paperwork; I am leaving in fifteen minutes," he said in a chillingly cold voice that was utterly sane and almost business-like.

The nurse stood her ground, "I am going to get the doctor first."

"One way or another - I am leaving," he stated with finality as he stood up in his hospital gown and watched her retreat from the room. He saw his heavy blue fleece jacket was hanging on the back of a chair and he walked over to it and began searching through it, and a fathomless sense of loss touched him when he felt the ring and the cookies in the side pockets.

_Hinata._

He called Kisame with a clawing feeling of panic beginning to settle into his heart, when his lawyer answered, he asked him, "Do you know where Hinata is?"

"No, I haven't seen her since last night," he said as he thought for a moment and tried to think of the last time he saw her. She had been with Itachi and he didn't remember her ever leaving the hospital room. It was strange like she disappeared, he just assumed at the time she had just gone back home.

"I can try to call her and see if she is at your place," Kisame offered helpfully trying to keep his concern at bay. Itachi didn't sound at all like his normal calm self.

"Don't bother, she's gone," Itachi said in a voice utterly devoid of emotion.

"How do you know?"

His throat constricted and he swallowed painfully. "Her story was true…she really used to be an angel, her cousin rescued me last night and told me the truth. I think she was taken back sometime last night after I fell asleep."

The lawyer's eyebrows lifted as he believed his friend without hesitation, because he knew Itachi was no liar, and he knew Hinata, and out of everyone he'd ever met, he could actually believe her fantastical story was true.

"I'm sorry, Itachi," he said quietly. "Do you need me to do anything for you?"

"Where's Jonas?" He asked suddenly, in a disquieted voice.

"He with Mrs. Green at your house," his lawyer assured him.

"Good." Itachi breathed out in relief. "I'll call you later," he said before hanging up, he just couldn't talk anymore. He needed to be at home with his nephew right now.

Next he called his driver. "Come pick me up now," he ordered and hung up and within fifteen minutes he was dressed and ready to go. And against the medical advice of his doctor, he was discharged, and on his way home.

* * *

It was Christmas Day, and as usual all of Heaven and the outer areas, such as the celestial zone where Hinata was temporarily staying were gloriously alive in full celebration mode. Everywhere she turned there was the invigorating sound of music, pulsing with supernatural joy and life.

Normally, she adored this day and would celebrate it with a blissful heart, but today was the first time she didn't feel like she belonged there. Her heart was too broken to allow her to sing.

Everything around her was so beautifully resplendent, the air was pure, her pristine clothes were shining radiantly, and many of her fellow angels welcomed her home and had truly missed her. Kurenai, for once, was even proud of her. She had completed a mission and there was talk of assigning to her, her first person to watch over in over eighty years.

But the cost of such a beautiful eternal life without Itachi was just too high for her. Inside she felt like she was dying, the pain of being separated from him was almost suffocating her. She would gladly give up eternity as an angel, for a human lifespan with him, because she loved him.

When she first arrived back home and had her wings back Hinata tried in frantic desperation to leave and fly back to him, but found she wasn't allowed to pass through the barrier until her supervisors figured out what to do with her. And right now everything was on hold for a few more days until the sacred celebrations were over.

Time in Heaven always seemed slower than earthly hours to her, and every hour away from Itachi felt like torture to her, and painfully frustrated tears constantly burned behind her eyes as she waited.

Watching Itachi's beautiful stricken face in the massive viewing pool in the city center, her fingers skimmed over the crystal clear water as she tried to touch him, but it only turned him into a sparkling, but blurred image. In the back of her mind she tried not to think about how she would feel if they never allowed her to go back to him. A future without him was too bleak for her to even imagine.

A dark, rayless, shadow fell over her and she saw it was one of the precious human residents of Heaven. They held higher positions than angels due to being created in the image of the Master, and it was rare for one of them to come to this transitional area where usually only angels trod.

As soon as she got a good look at him with his radiantly dark hair, a shaky gasp escaped her when she figured out who it was; he looked a lot like his brother. "Sasuke?"

"Yes," he stated bluntly and his eyes darkened with sadness as he peered into the pool at his beloved brother's face. "He looks awful." Itachi's haunted face was eerily similar to how it looked right after he had passed away over four years ago and it made him feel sick inside.

Tears began to pour down her face as she achingly agreed, "I know."

The angel and the human's eyes met in mutually pained concern for a man they both loved more than anyone else.

Sasuke's brows furrowed in angry frustration as he told her, "When I asked them to send you to him, I didn't know they were going to take you away from him the moment he loved you and wanted to marry you."

Hinata was all too aware of the cruel irony of the situation, and when she'd mentioned it to Kurenai, she was surprised by the lack of answers given back to her. It seemed the order to send her home had come from higher above and those commands were never to be questioned.

She would just have to trust there was a good reason behind it all.

Sasuke's eyes noted the look of resignation in her eyes and he didn't want any part of it. Since he had been in Heaven he had spent a lot of time with angels and he realized they were some of the most obedient beings ever created, they never seemed to question anything.

He understood that was just how they were made; they were servants after all, even though they were divine. But it went against every human instinct within him to just accept this situation. His brother was being hurt by this decision, and he wasn't about to stand by and watch it happen.

"What are you going to do about it?" He demanded.

Hinata's eyes were full of misery as she told him, "I can't do anything about it right now, until the celebration is over, and even then, I don't know if they will ever let me go back to him."

Sasuke's eyes were sharp and penetrating as he directed them at her with uncompromising force, "One way or another, you are going to have to find a way back. My brother needs you."

"I know," she said and her voice broke. "But how? I don't know what to do?"

"You are going to have to rebel," he stated bluntly.

Hinata's luminous eyes opened wide in shock. There was no way she could do that, the last time angels rebelled they ended up going to the place that must never be mentioned here and her eyes shifted uncomfortably downward.

"I can't do something like that," she sputtered out as if what he had just suggested was unthinkable to her.

He released a frustrated breath. "Well, you can't go through the courts; Itachi will be dead of old age before your case even goes to trial."

Hinata's shoulders drooped forlornly knowing he was right, the courts took centuries (in human time) to make a decision. She felt stuck in a hard place and she didn't know how to get out of it. It would take a miracle to get her back to earth.

Neji appeared behind her in all of his arch-angel splendor, and without even thinking about it she ran into his arms for the first time in her life. Even though they were as close as family, the warrior wasn't really the cuddly type. As his arms came stiffly and uncomfortably around her, he thought he would allow the contact, just this once.

"Thank you Neji for saving Itachi, I owe you everything. I am so grateful for what you did," she told him in an emotionally charged voice.

Her "so called" cousin gave her an undiscernible smile before answering wryly, "He actually did the hard part himself, I just showed him the way up the cliff."

"Of course he did, my brother is not some weakling," Sasuke bristled before meeting the arch-angels eyes directly.

Neji looked imposing, but thoughtful as he agreed, "No, I don't think he is either." His eyes turned toward Hinata and his gaze penetrated deep within her all the way to her heart as he asked almost kindly, "Is this what you want? Do you really want to leave here, and live on the earth as a human?"

Hinata's eyes were huge and alive with hope as she nodded quickly without any hesitation and cried out, "Yes, more than anything."

His eyes were a little sad as he inclined his head so his long dark hair flowed gracefully over his shoulder as he looked down at her. "Well then, Sasuke is right to a point…you are just going to have to get kicked out of Heaven."

**Author's Note:** I posted this after writing the second half of it rather quickly so please forgive me if there are a lot of errors. At this point in the story there are probably 2 more chapters to go and maybe an epilogue in the future. I will try my best to answer any questions. I do plan to have Hinata meet with the girl that saved Jonas in the next chapter. Also, I am considering different options regarding what to do with Sakura, so please share your thoughts or ideas with me; I would love to hear them. Big holiday hugs to all of you!


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